Electric Water
by ThunderMastery24
Summary: "Ours wasn't coincidence. I don't believe it could be just a coincidence that I met you out of all people." "What do you mean Ash?" "I guess what I mean is, even though that happened, I think that we were meant to meet and become friends." -A compilation of stories for PokéShipping Week 2016.
1. Rain

**PokéShipping Week 2016**

 **November 1** **st**

 **Day #1 - Rain**

Pushing a few strands of damp orange hair out of her face, Misty Waterflower has her hands gripping the handlebars of her bicycle as she tries to make sure she can get through the rainstorm that descended upon her.

A force of nature that _literally_ came out of _nowhere_ if you were asking her!

One moment, the sky was a picturesque blue and the next she was running through some dense foliage to try to get to a nearby cabin shelter when the sky actually _ripped in half_ and a downpour decided to ruin her day.

"Last time I go outside without checking the weather first." Misty grumbles as she pushes more of her hair out of her face.

Sighing, Misty slows her pace before looking up at the sky.

Something she soon regrets as, aside from seeing no end to the storm, her face is pelted by a barrage of water droplets that had fallen down from the leaves that used to hold their weight.

Biting back a curse, Misty cannot help the groan that escapes past her lips. While she loves water more than anything in the world - from its gentle, undulating waves to its raging, capricious currents and all the magnificent and deadly creatures that make such an expansive world their aquatic home - she decides in that moment that rain may have to be stricken from that list. At least until she can better prepare herself for such unpredictable weather.

With another sigh, Misty trudges through the undergrowth of the forest she's found herself in on the outskirts of Viridian City.

 _The only thing that could make this worse,_ Misty thinks, annoyed as she pushes more hair out of her face. _Is if a bunch of bugs decided to come out and say hello._

It would seem that the world is out to get the youthful redhead as, no sooner did she finish her thought did a huge arachnid came down from their web and stare blearily into her eyes, as if she had woken the spider up from a pleasant nap.

"Nice spider?" Misty murmurs uneasily, trying to fight down her Entomophobia and the urge to scream and run far, _far_ away. The two stay staring at each other for a good five minutes, the rain steadily drenching the orange-haired female's clothes further as the sound of thunder ripples overhead. Just when Misty is certain that the spider will leave her alone and retreat to their home, the insect seems to have _other_ ideas. In an admittedly impressive display of balance and poise, the spider uses their eight legs to fire a small amount of sticky web at the redhead's face from their spinnerets.

Shocked and repulsed by what just happened, Misty blinks at the spider once as the arachnid wisely chooses to retreat at that moment because, no sooner had the spider vacated from the immediate area did Misty unleash an ear-splitting scream. The redhead, heedless of the current weather, _sprints_ through the forest before her momentum would prove to be her undoing.

Due to the fact that the visibility is rather low due to the storm and her overall increase in speed, Misty ends up tumbling down a small hill.

Rubbing at her sore backside, no doubt thinking that it's going to end up bruising tomorrow, the redhead wonders what kind of crime she involved herself in to deserve such a fate.

Looking around, Misty marvels at her good fortune for three reasons. Aside from an aching posterior, dirt practically _everywhere_ , and the spider's web still on her face, she is remarkably unharmed. Her bicycle, having been sent flying when she rolled down the hill, looks to be entirely usable despite a few nicks.

And finally, the warm, inviting lights beckoning her inside, she finds herself face to face with the cabin shelter for wayward travelers, people needing to rest for the night, and those needing a respite from the storm.

And as her clothes are heavy with water, it's obvious which category she falls in.

* * *

Opening the door of the cabin, Misty finds herself greeted by a warm burst of air and the crackling glow of a fireplace. Given the sogginess of her attire, the blazing fire is a welcome sight.

Depositing her bicycle at the door and making sure the lock is secure, Misty walks to the front desk area of the cabin. Even far away, the redhead can make out how the woman behind the desk has quite an interesting shade of pink hair.

"Oh, you poor dear!" The woman exclaims when Misty stands in front of the desk. "You're soaking wet!"

"Don't worry about it." Misty assures, smiling as best she can at the moment. It must look particularly strained given the way the kindly older woman is regarding her. "I'm fine."

 _Fine except for the spider web on my face._ Misty thinks, but wisely chooses to keep that to herself.

"If you say so." The woman, who introduces herself as Joy, says uneasily as her eyes take in the young girl before her. "We _must_ get you out of those wet clothes though."

The older woman then sets herself to the task of digging out some articles of clothing from the space under the desk. At least, that's what the redhead is assuming Joy is doing.

"That would be _great_." Misty states, bluish-green eyes twinkling somewhat at the prospect of some nice dry, clean clothes. And perhaps… "Is there a shower I could use?"

Joy stops riffling through the clothes in the hidden alcove of the desk to gesture towards the spiral staircase on the left side of the desk. "The shower and bath are located upstairs." The pink-haired woman explains before indicating the spiral staircase on the right. "The bedding quarters are also upstairs." She then smiles earnestly. "You'll also find a special surprise up there as well."

No sooner had she finished speaking (and gave her some clean clothes which are a simple white tee-shirt, a charming dark cerulean jacket, and jeans that are as blue as the shifting waves of the ocean) did Misty make a beeline for the staircase leading to the showers.

And when the first blast of soothingly warm water came into contact with her skin, washing the dirt, grime, and the _disgusting_ spider web from her body, the redhead felt immediately revitalized.

* * *

The surprise, Misty would soon learn, is someone devoted to making hot chocolate for anyone that visits the cozy little structure.

She would also learn that the name of the older woman in charge of the machine is Jenny. The blue-haired woman is apparently recently graduated from the Saffron City Police Academy and awaiting to hear back from them about which precinct in which city or town she should move to so she can adequately defend the land of Kanto with truth, justice, and an adorable, reliable crimson canine ready to take a bite out of crime. Said animal appears to be sleeping next to the hot chocolate stand.

After taking a steaming mug of the refreshing beverage and leaving behind a five dollar tip, Misty goes downstairs and sits in front of the still-roaring fire.

Relaxing in the dark brown chair and drinking some of the hot chocolate, the sound of thunder reverberating overhead, Misty thinks of how _this_ is what a perfectly peaceful day looks like.

All things considered anyway.

Setting her half-empty mug on the coffee table next to her chair, Misty stretches her arms and legs. She turns to the front door when she hears someone open it, thinking that they're undoubtedly another poor traveler caught in the torrential rainstorm outside.

And is effectively left staring mouth agape at the stranger.

If she had to put a description to the man she's seeing, Misty would say he appeared to have jumped right out of one of the romance novels she loves to read in her free time away from college.

Turning her attention back to the fireplace, Misty fights down the heat rising in her face at the admittedly handsome male. Shaking her head in agitation, the redhead chastises herself for thinking what she did about the young man.

So _what_ if he's one of the most attractive guys she's ever seen? So _what_ if, despite looking like he's soaked to the bone it doesn't seem to bother him? So _what_ if his black hair, wet and sticking to his forehead, looks like something she could wind her fingers through for hours on end? _So what_ if the white tee-shirt underneath his obsidian jacket provides the redhead with a generous view of his muscles?

 _So freaking what_ if his brown eyes - so sincere and carefree - seem to entrance her from halfway across the room?

Misty Waterflower does _not_ think that the man that just walked in, who's talking to Joy as she is most certainly rummaging for some clean clothes before the unknown male takes them and heads for the left staircase, is the most irresistible man she's ever had the _pleasure_ of seeing.

Nope. Obviously not. _That_ would just be _completely crazy_!

 _Right?_

* * *

As it turns out, the universe seems out to test Misty's patience and sanity to their breaking points. Because out of all the possible places that the visually striking man could have relaxed, it _had_ to be in the chair right next to her.

She notices out of her peripheral vision how he's now wearing a dark black tee-shirt, a dark blue jacket, and dark blue jeans. Aside from his still very much appealing appearance, the soap he used to wash himself wafts off of him in tantalizing waves. The steaming mug of hot chocolate in his hands only adding to the delectable scent.

Biting down on her lower lip, Misty takes a rather significant quaff of what remains of her hot chocolate, hoping that the two of them can just enjoy the fire in amiable silence.

But of course, as she sets her empty mug aside and thunder resounds through the air above them, _nothing_ is that simple.

"This storm just came out of nowhere, huh?" The unnamed male remarks, flashing her a friendly grin.

"That's an understatement." Misty grumbles tersely. The redhead hopes that her cold shoulder will cease any and all attempts at further conversation.

Clearly, that isn't the case.

"I was just hiking out in the woods when the sky went from blue and sunny to gray and thundering." The male continues.

Given the fact that she feels in the pit of her stomach that this _stranger_ won't be leaving anytime soon, Misty decides to christen him with the nickname "Brown Eyes". Better than referring to him as some unknown stranger despite the fact that that's exactly what he is.

"I can relate to that." Misty mutters, feeling her cheeks burn at the memory of how _embarrassing_ it was to be in the middle of the wilderness before the rain started and being thoroughly and _utterly_ unprepared. After all, while the orange-haired female doesn't _usually_ go outside, when she does, she's much better suited to face whatever Mother Nature can throw her way. "If I had only checked the weather forecast."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it." Brown Eyes says, giving her a wry smirk. "The weatherman tends to get it wrong anyway."

The redhead smiles at that. "I suppose you're right." She admits. While the Kanto 149 News Broadcasters never fail to keep its citizens up-to-date on current events and the like, when it comes to weather predictions, they usually have between a sixty-four percent and eighty percent rate of success.

The two do slip into a comfortable sort of silence then.

Which lasts for all of three minutes before the redhead decides to break it. She isn't sure _what_ compels her to speak up. Perhaps it's the way the fire gives his boyish features a warm amber glow, further validating her previous assertion that he's right out of a romance novel. Maybe it's the way that his jab (however insensitive it may have been) defrosts her chilly demeanor. Or it could be the strange desire to want to get to know the stranger sitting next to her.

 _He seems nice enough._ Misty thinks, recalling how her sisters have been pestering her about her love life. As much as she loves their positive relationships, there are moments - like when Daisy, Lily, and Violet are breathing down her neck about finding a great guy or going shopping or _whatever_ it is they do that she would rather have nothing to do with - that days of long ago when they called her the _scrawny runt_ of the Waterflower Sisters of Cerulean City seem almost _preferable_ by comparison.

 _Almost._

Sighing, both out of exhaustion after such a tiring day and deciding that there's no time like the present to act, Misty focuses on the fireplace for a moment before turning to Brown Eyes.

"So, what were you doing outside hiking anyway?" The redhead asks, testing the waters and trying to see how best to go about a conversation that's hardly begun.

Brown Eyes doesn't reply immediately. Instead, he takes a quick gulp of his hot chocolate. (Despite her best efforts, Misty cannot help watching the liquid as it slides down the unblemished column of his throat, his Adam's apple bobbing in the process.)

Shaking her head to clear it of less than noble thoughts, Misty directs her attention back to the male sitting next to her.

And almost falls out of her chair given the way he's looking at her so earnestly, his grin impossibly wide.

"What was I doing hiking?" Brown Eyes echoes, still grinning at her before leaning back in his chair. He sighs reflectively before turning his head to her. "Adventuring."

"Adventuring?" Misty echoes lamely, blinking thrice as she wonders if she heard him right.

Then again, she can definitely see the merits of wanting to explore the world; wanting to see what lies behind every unknown corner and discovering the undiscovered.

Brown Eyes nods his head so exuberantly at that he looks like a bobblehead about to have their head bounce off from their shoulders. The action is so adorable that Misty cannot help laughing. It would seem though that her newfound companion either didn't notice or doesn't mind. "Yep!" He answers with a smile before clenching his fists. "Nothing's better than a great trek through a forest or mountain and then relaxing under the night sky with the stars and moon as your only light."

"That _does_ sound nice." Misty says with a small smile as she feels herself become swept up in Brown Eyes' enthusiastic tendencies. "What would you say is your favorite adventure?"

"My favorite adventure?" Brown Eyes echoes, his countenance turning thoughtful. He closes his eyes with a hum. His eyebrows begin to crease towards his nose as the answer to the question appears to escape him. He expels a frustrated breath, opening his eyes with a careless shrug. "You know, as much as I enjoy them, I don't think _any_ of the adventures I've been on could be called my favorite."

"That's too bad." Misty comments, feeling the most peculiar urge to commiserate with the raven-haired male despite her sense of logic screaming at her that there's nothing to feel sorry for. "Maybe you just haven't found _the_ adventure yet."

" _The_ adventure, huh?" Brown Eyes muses with a glance at the fireplace before turning back to the redhead.

"Yeah." Misty says, feeling her face _burn_ due to the piercing russet-eyed gaze that the raven-haired male is giving her. With an awkward cough, the orange-haired female directs her attention solely to the fireplace. She hopes that the color on her face will subside soon and that the stranger next to her didn't see it. " _The_ adventure."

"So, what were _you_ doing out in this storm?" Brown Eyes asks before the two could possibly lapse into a sort of silence.

"How'd you know I was out in this weather?" Misty asks, her viridian eyes narrowed in a wary glare.

Her hostile stance doesn't seem to faze Brown Eyes in the slightest as he merely gestures in the direction of the door. And sitting there right where she left it is her trusted bicycle.

"You also mentioned how you should've checked the weather broadcast." He adds.

"Oh." Misty says weakly as she visibly deflates. She smiles ruefully. "That explains it." Putting a fist to her mouth, she coughs as she tries to ignore her growing sense of mortification. "Well," She starts after managing to compose herself. "I was biking along one of the famous bike trails of the Viridian Forest."

"Famous bike trails?" Ash asks with a dubious blink.

"You've _never heard_ of the Viridian Bicycle Trails?!" Misty exclaims, looking legitimately horrified; as if a stranger's ignorance is a personal affront to her very person.

Brown Eyes' only response is a helpless shrug. "Can't say that I have."

"We'll just have to change that." Misty states with a decisive air about her. It's as if she thinks they're the best of friends instead of the perfect strangers that they are.

" _We_?" The raven-haired hiker repeats, an eyebrow raised as he looks to be suppressing a fit of laughter.

"And _what_ is so funny?!" Misty snaps irritably, glaring at the male. Brown Eyes immediately throws his hands up in a placating gesture as the orange-haired cyclist closes her eyes. With a sigh, she opens them. "Anyway," She continues without waiting for an answer as she feels substantially calmer. "I like to ride my bike when I'm on break from college."

"You go to college?" Brown Eyes asks curiously.

Given the way Misty is glaring at him, it's apparent that she took such an innocuous question the wrong way.

"As a matter of fact, I _do_." The Cerulean City female hisses, her voice dripping acid. Her expression does a completely radical change as she smiles sweetly at him. "Do you have a problem with that?" She asks through gritted teeth.

His eyes growing wide, Brown Eyes waves his hands back and forth as he shakes his head twice. "W-wait!" He stammers. "That's not what I meant!" Taking a breath, he presses on. "I _meant_ , what do you study in college?"

"Hm." Is Misty's only reply as she mentally kicks herself for her volatile temper and her propensity to jump to conclusions. In retrospect, even though she's just met the man before her, he doesn't seem to be the type to be rude. A bit sarcastic maybe, but crass? She finds the idea absurd. When she manages to calm down, that's when she breaks out in a smile so wide it wouldn't look out of place on Brown Eyes' face. "I'm studying to be an oceanographer."

"An oceanographer?" Brown Eyes repeats, scratching his black hair.

Misty nods, still grinning. Placing her right elbow on the armrest of her chair, she supports her head with her hand. "Ever since I was a little girl, I've _always_ loved the ocean." She sighs, content. "To learn _more_ about the ecosystem and all the creatures that make it their home."

Misty isn't sure _why_ she feels the need to bare her soul to a guy she's just met. Someone she hasn't even learned the name of yet.

But as she watches his features light up with an amicable grin, perhaps that idea isn't so far out of the realm of probability.

"That sounds really cool!" The raven-haired male comments, putting his left elbow on the armrest of his chair and supporting his head with his hand. "Where are you studying?"

"Indigo Plateau University." Misty answers, feeling gratified by the male's sentiment about her line of study.

"Really?!" Brown Eyes exclaims almost incredulously as he looks about ready to fall out of his chair. His features turn thoughtful. "What a small world." He says, more to himself than to her.

"Do you know someone who goes there?" Misty asks, curious.

Brown Eyes nods his head. "Yep! Two of my best friends go there: Gary Oak and Leaf Green."

"Can't say that those names ring a bell." Misty says, searching her memory for anything familiar and coming up blank.

"Can't say I'm surprised." Brown Eyes remarks with a smirk; as if thinking of some inside joke. "When those two aren't in class, they're usually too busy making out to notice anyone else."

Wait. _Making out?_

"Now that you mention it," Misty says, a memory stirring at the fringes of her mind. "when I went for an early morning jog around campus, there _were_ these two people who seemed determined to inhale each other."

The raven-haired male laughs at the description. "Yeah, that sounds like them."

"So, are _you_ studying anything?" Misty asks, wanting to get the topic of discussion away from the relationships of others.

"Nope." Brown Eyes answers without hesitation. He glances at the fireplace before staring at the ceiling, the rain pounding incessantly against the roof as thunder echoes above. "Traveling from place to place helps me learn a lot more than I could sitting in a classroom for hours on end."

"I see." Misty says, nodding her head as she understands perfectly. Sometimes, the best teacher in the world can be the planet herself.

"Anyway," Brown Eyes says as he stands up. Stretching, his eyes stay on Misty. "I think I'm going to bed."

As if on cue, he soon yawns which leads to the redhead yawning as she too begins to feel drowsy. Something that must've escaped her attention while talking with her most recent acquaintance.

"Me too." She says, standing up with a stretch of her own.

Before the two can possibly go their separate ways, Misty stops him with a question.

"So stranger, you planning on telling me your name?" Misty jokes with a good-natured grin.

Brown Eyes blinks at her before smiling. "My name's Ash Ketchum."

"Misty Waterflower." The orange-haired female supplies, thinking that that name fits the male before her _perfectly_.

"Well Misty, it's nice to meet you." Brown Eyes - _Ash_ \- says, extending a hand.

"Nice to meet you too Ash." Misty says, shaking the male's hand.

As her eyes wander to the window behind her newfound friend, Misty feels her smile grow.

Because outside, some of the moonlight filtering in through the window, it looks like it had stopped raining.

Misty doesn't know why, but she cannot help thinking that it's a positive omen; a herald of auspicious possibility.

And as she looks into Ash's russet eyes before they eventually part ways, she can hardly wait to see what the unpredictable future may hold for them.


	2. Confession

**PokéShipping Week 2016**

 **November 3rd**

 **Day #3 - Confession**

 _S_ _ometimes, a confession can be dramatic and grandiose; the love-stricken male or female expounding on their undying and eternal love for their beloved._

With a contented smile on her face, Misty Waterflower gazes fondly at the sparkling, crystalline waters of the Cerulean City Gym's pool from her vantage point atop her diving board. The waters are completely undisturbed except for Misty's faithful Gyarados, the Atrocious Pokémon's blue scales glimmering beneath the water. The redhead found that the dual Water- and Flying-Type is at their happiest when they're able to spend a majority of their time in the pool's clean water.

Taking a deep breath - and making sure she won't accidentally land on her Gyarados - Misty jumps in. Feeling the refreshing embrace of the chlorinated water, the redhead easily breaks the surface of the water before taking another deep breath of air.

Swimming idly in the water, the Cerulean City Gym Leader's Atrocious Pokémon soon comes to swim next to their friend.

With a grin, Misty runs a hand across Gyarados' smooth scales. "Good morning Gyarados." She says as her Pokémon makes their own reply. "Want to get some exercise in?"

The Atrocious Pokémon's answer comes in the form of them nodding their head.

"That's what I like to hear!" Misty declares with a broad grin before swimming to the end of the pool attached to the four diving boards; one for each Sensational Sister. The redhead isn't sure when, but one day she woke up and found her sisters no longer referring to her as the scrawny runt of the Waterflower Sisters. In fact, they inaugurated her into their group and made her the newest Sensational Sister. And while Misty might not enjoy such attention, she found herself honored nonetheless.

While each diving board is a shade of Daisy, Lily, and Violet's hair, Misty's is a simple cerulean blue. Something she attributed to her sisters becoming nicer to her and figuring she would like such a color the best or they couldn't find a crimson diving board that met their needs.

Putting her back to the cool wall of the pool, Misty watches as Gyarados soon joins her side.

"Ready?" She asks as she gets into a position so she can more effectively launch herself off the wall and through the water.

Gyarados' response is an encouraging roar as determination hardens in their scarlet irises.

Smiling, Misty holds up her right hand and her index, middle, and ring fingers. Confident that they're both prepared, the redhead begins a countdown.

"Three," Misty starts as she brings down her ring finger. "Two," She says, bringing down her middle finger. The two turn away from each other as they focus on the other end of the pool. "One!" She shouts, bringing her hand down into a fist. After she does, the Pokémon Trainer and her Gyarados launch off from the wall, causing ripples throughout the water as they both try to swim as fast as they possibly can.

Midway through the pool, Gyarados starts to gain on the Cerulean City Gym Leader. With their aquatic persuasion, it's obvious that the Atrocious Pokémon is the clear winner. That doesn't prevent Misty from showing her swimming prowess as not even a minute and a half later after Gyarados connects with the other side of the pool does the orange-haired female slam her hands against the cool marble.

"Impressive Gyarados!" Misty praises, grinning encouragingly at her strongest Pokémon. She reaches out to pat her Pokémon's scales. "I think you actually got _faster_ than the last time we did this."

Gyarados' features, while still an intimidating glare, seem to soften imperceptibly at their Pokémon Trainer's heartfelt approval. Without hesitation, Gyarados moves through the water to nuzzle their head affectionately against Misty.

"Love you too Gyarados." The redhead says with a tender smile.

Before the two can possibly move on to something else, Misty hears someone knocking on the front door of the Cerulean City Gym as she scratches the chin of her Atrocious Pokémon. Both of their heads turning in the direction of the noise, Misty is perplexed as to who could be visiting such an official building so early in the morning.

Granted, Misty has grown accustomed to hopeful challengers wishing to participate in the Indigo League visiting at all sorts of random hours.

Once, she had to wake up at three in the morning because a young boy kept insisting on a gym battle! In hindsight of another battle where, despite her best efforts, she relinquished another pristine Cascade Badge, the Pokémon Trainer kind of reminded her of an old friend.

One who always seem to be on her mind despite him being in a far-off region doing what he does best.

An apologetic sigh escaping her, Misty pats her Gyarados gently on the side of their face one last time. "Sorry Gyarados."

Placing her hands on the floor outside of the pool, she hoists herself out of it.

"I'll see what they want and we can get right back to training." Misty promises as she walks around the eastern edge of the pool to where her simple azure cover up and a nondescript blue towel await her. Picking up the towel, she dries herself off so as to not drip water all over the place.

Setting the now damp towel aside, she slips her cover up on, running a hand through her damp hair before heading for the entrance of the Cerulean City Gym.

"I'll be right there!" Misty asserts, projecting her voice so her unknown visitor can know that she's on her way. However, instead of ceasing their knocking, it sounds like they actually _increased_ their pace; pounding away at the door as if intending to break it down.

Feeling a scowl take form on her face, Misty quickens her pace. "I _said_ I'll be right there!" She snaps irritably.

Moving quickly through the main room of the Cerulean City Gym, the redhead thinks offhandedly that the as of yet undetermined person (or persons) trying to break down her door better have an excellent reason for being here. Especially so early in the morning.

"Sometimes," Misty grumbles as she wraps a hand around the door handle. "You challengers have no-"

Whatever young trainers wanting a Cascade Badge have none of remains a mystery as the words die on her lips.

Her viridian eyes widen considerably, her mouth slack as she takes in the appearance of the man before her. He's taller than she last saw him, that much the redhead can determine. He also seems to have a bit of stubble on his face. His features, while considerably older, still have the same boyish charm that she fell in love with. His appearance aside from his countenance is still remarkably familiar.

Misty isn't sure why, or when, but it would seem that whenever he got back from whatever region he was traveling through, he changed back to the outfit he wore when the both of them were traveling through Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Johto.

(Personally, from what she saw in person in Hoenn and from the opposite side of sporadic videophone screens throughout Sinnoh and Unova, the first outfit she saw him in was always her favorite.)

She also takes note of a familiar Electric-Type on their proper perch of his Pokémon Trainer's shoulder.

One would believe her to tackle the male in a hug, so _ecstatic_ to see her friend _in person_ after so much time away. At the very least, one would expect her to grin at the sight of her oldest, _best_ friend and ask him when he got back home.

However, being the eloquent master of words that she is, Misty can only say one thing:

"You're still shorter than me."

It would appear that statement doesn't offend the redhead's visitor as he merely grins at her.

"Geez Misty," Ash Ketchum starts, grinning as there's a sarcastic edge to his voice. "First time you seen me in person in a long time and _that's_ what you have to say?"

"I'm just surprised actually." Misty replies with narrowed eyes before grinning along with him. "I thought you were maybe a young kid wanting a badge from the Cerulean Gym."

"I don't think we ever finished that match." Ash remarks offhandedly.

"Well, keep dreaming Mister Pokémon Master." Misty quips sardonically. "It's a bit early in the morning for me to wipe the floor with you."

Before Ash can retaliate with a clever retort, it would seem _someone_ is feeling ignored as he gives his best friend an electric jolt before jumping into Misty's arms.

"Pikachupi!"

Misty laughs good-naturedly at the Electric Mouse Pokémon as Ash remains unfazed even in the wake of such an attack. "I'm happy to see you too Pika-pal!"

Still smiling, the redhead gently rubs the top of Pikachu's head, the action causing him to let out a happy "Chaa." and to snuggle up more comfortably against the redhead.

"I guess Pikachu really missed you." Ash comments, with a small grin at his first Pokémon looking so joyful.

"Yeah." Misty agrees before giving her friend a sideways glance. "I wonder though if he's the _only_ one who missed me?"

Ash crosses his arms behind his head before responding with a grin. " _I_ missed you too Misty."

"Glad to hear it." Misty states lamely and not without a strange hint of superiority. It's obvious though that that was not what see was expecting. At least not without a bit of needling first. Scratching the top of Pikachu's head one last time, she allows him to jump back onto the raven-haired male's shoulder. "I missed you too." She adds.

The two share a glance before looking away. Despite the fleeting nature of such a gesture, Misty thinks that she saw a blush breaking out across her best friend's face.

But _what_ would he be _blushing_ for?

Disregarding such a question for the moment, Misty grins at her former traveling companion before offering him a hand. "So, are you planning on standing outside all morning or are you going to come in?"

The inquiry seems to shock Ash back to his senses as the color ebbs from his face. A second later, he crosses the threshold into the Cerulean City Gym. The young man looks around the main room as the person in charge of such a prestigious building closes the door behind him.

Ash and Pikachu have something akin to nostalgia decorating their features as they look around every corner in the place where they earned their second Indigo League Gym Badge.

"So," Misty begins, affixing her bluish-green eyes to the aspiring Pokémon Master. "I'm guessing by your outfit that I'm not the _first_ visit you made when you got back to Kanto?"

"I think my mom would send out a squad of Officer Jennys, Growlithe, and Arcanine if I didn't come home first after a long journey." Ash says with a grin.

"It's just because she worries about you." Misty reasons, feeling a soft smile cross her visage at the mention of Delia Ketchum. Such a kind, patient woman makes the redhead _almost jealous_ of her bond with her son. While she _might_ be a bit biased, Misty would say with unflinching sincerity that Ash and Delia Ketchum have the most positive, loving relationship that could exist between a mother and her child.

Even though it happened so long ago it might as well be called another lifetime, Misty can still recall Missus Ketchum's heartfelt words in the aftermath of their excursion to the Shamouti Islands, the older woman expressing rage and worry born from a loving concern so strong as to be overwhelming.

" _...I could've lost_ my _whole world.."_

Even now, Delia's words that day _still_ cause her to feel a bit choked up.

(Though, to be terribly fair, Misty doesn't really know any other familial bond between a parent and their progeny. She knows of Max and May Maple and Dawn Berlitz, but she isn't necessarily that close with either of them or know their relationships with their respective parents to form much of an opinion.)

"Yeah." Ash agrees with a toothy smile.

"How was your visit home?" She asks.

Ash and Pikachu both share a glance before turning to the redhead, each of them grinning broadly.

"Well, when Pikachu and I went home, aside from my mom and Mimey, we saw something that reminded us of you!" Ash exclaims.

"You did?" Misty echoes, blinking once as she's puzzled as to what her friend could be talking about.

"Yep!" Ash confirms before turning to Pikachu. "Show her buddy."

Giving the raven-haired trainer a determined nod, the little Electric-Type goes to unzip Ash's backpack. The same now dirtied and well-worn one he carried with him all those years ago. Pikachu spends at least a full minute rummaging through the contents of Ash's backpack before coming out of it with _something_ clenched in his teeth.

And when Misty sees what it is…

"Really?" The redhead asks, sounding amused as she looks to be holding back laughter.

"My mom was doing some gardening recently and felt that it would add a nice touch." Ash says, taking the flower from his Electric Mouse Pokémon's mouth before holding it out to the viridian-eyed female.

"How thoughtful." Misty comments before taking the _Gypsophila_ flower, pausing to inhale the scent.

"It was actually my _mom's_ idea to give you one." Ash admits, scratching at his left cheek.

"Well," Misty says as she shuts one eye while putting the flower in her hair. Satisfied with her efforts, she continues. "Tell her I said thanks."

Readjusting her cover up, Misty gives her friend an even stare. "So Ash," She says with a smirk. "How do I look?"

"I think you look great Misty!" Ash answers earnestly before looking at the Pokémon on his shoulder. "Right Pikachu?"

"Pika Pikapi!" Pikachu agrees, nodding.

"Thanks you two." Misty says, a light sheen of pink to her face at their kind words. She then walks past the two of them, her destination being where she had left her Gyarados. Unsurprisingly, she can hear the sound of Ash keeping pace with her. Almost effortlessly if you asked her.

"How have you been Misty?" Ash asks as Misty pushes the front door of the room housing the Cerulean City Gym's pool open. The first thing the trio notice are a pair of crimson eyes as a certain Atrocious Pokémon stares at them, blinking owlishly every few seconds.

"I see your Gyarados has been doing well." Ash comments, moving over to crouch in front of the dual Water- and Flying-Type, looking to have forgotten his previous question.

"Yep!" Misty says as she moves to crouch next to Ash, her shoulder accidently bumping against his unoccupied one. "If you thought Gyarados was powerful _before_ when I was in Hoenn, you should see 'em _now_."

"Now?" Ash echoes, glancing between the Pokémon in front of him and their Pokémon Trainer. He grins at Misty. "Can I see?"

Misty hums in contemplation, a smile growing on her face as she stands up. "As a matter of fact Ash, you're in luck. Gyarados and I were _just_ about to do some training before you came barging in."

"I didn't _barge_ in." Ash asserts, crossing his arms as he stands up. Pikachu jumps off his best friend's shoulder to converse with Gyarados. "I knocked."

"Yeah, and almost broke my door down in the process." Misty gripes with a barely-hidden snicker. She gives him a sidelong glance before crossing her arms. "Plan on breaking _more_ of my stuff so I'll have to follow you around again?"

"That only happened _once_!" Ash exclaims defensively. He looks away from her with a pout as a blush starts to adorn his features. "Besides, I was just a young kid in a hurry back then."

"You're right!" Misty says, nodding her head before slamming her right fist into the palm of her left hand. She turns away from her best friend as she closes her eyes. "That never _did_ work out. If Nurse Joy didn't fix my bike, I'd _still_ be following you around!"

"H-Hey!" Ash stammers, unfolding his arms to clench his hands into fists. His blush gone as he turns his russet-eyed gaze to the redhead.

"Relax Ash, I was only kidding." Misty says before smirking wryly at him. "I'd probably end up following you again whether or not you broke my stuff."

"Misty!" Ash whines childishly, his blush coming back as he glares half-heartedly at the aspiring Water-Type Pokémon Master.

Misty laughs, raising a hand to cover her mouth. "I'm sorry Ash." She says between chuckles. "I guess I just forgot how much fun this is."

"Laughing at my expense?" Ash asks as he somehow manages to make a raised eyebrow in conjunction with a pout not look completely ridiculous.

"No Ash." Misty says, fighting down a resurgence of guffaws whilst her original fit of giggling subsides. "I meant talking with you face to face."

Ash stares at her evenly, looking to be in deep concentration before smiling softly. "Yeah, talking over a videophone just isn't the same."

"That's an understatement." Misty mutters with no small amount of derision before clasping her hands. "So, you wanted to see how strong Gyarados has gotten?"

"It'd be nice to see." Ash responds, glancing at the Atrocious Pokémon.

Taking a deep breath, the orange-haired female turns her gaze to her Pokémon. "What do you say Gyarados? Want to show Ash how strong you've gotten since you last saw each other?"

Said Pokémon seems more involved in whatever they are saying to their fellow Pokémon. That is, until Misty clears her throat. After she does, Gyarados moves away from the edge of the pool to swim around the edge of it, eventually coming back to where they started. Gyarados then swims toward the center of the pool before diving to the bottom. When they come back up, they have their eyes fixed on the ceiling before letting loose one of the most _intense_ Flamethrower attacks that Ash and Pikachu have ever seen.

"Wow." Ash murmurs in awe as Pikachu climbs back up his best friend to sit on his shoulder.

"Pika Pikachu." The Electric Mouse Pokémon says in agreement.

"Impressive, huh?" Misty asks rhetorically, pleased by the reactions of her friends as her voice drips prideful confidence.

"Pikachu Pikachupi!" Pikachu crows, a smile on his face.

"That was awesome Misty!" Ash exclaims, giving a short clap of applause at the Atrocious Pokémon's display of power.

Feeling a pleasant surge of gratification pool in her stomach, Misty gives Ash and his Pikachu a proud smirk. "Ash, Pikachu," She pauses momentarily to look at her most powerful battler. "You _haven't_ seen _anything_ yet."

* * *

Relocating to the hallowed center of sanctioned Pokémon League Battles in the Cerulean City Gym, Ash, Misty, and Pikachu gather on the northern edge of the battleground after the redhead released Gyarados into the deceptively calm waters. The quartet are not alone though as - having requested their aid to help show the Atrocious Pokémon's strength - Misty's Goldeen, Seadra, and Caserin the Luvdisc swim throughout the water as they await their Pokémon Trainer's orders. Also present in the room are Misty's Staryu and Starmie, Corsola, Politoed, Marill, and Psyduck. The latter of which looking much more alert than they usually are.

(A closer look would yield the fact that the Duck Pokémon still has a bit of that characteristic absent-mindedness about him.)

"Okay guys, are you ready to help me show Ash and Pikachu how strong Gyarados has gotten?" Misty asks, her hands cupping her mouth as she projects her voice to all nine of her Pokémon, her Gyarados patiently awaiting future commands.

All of her Pokémon sans Gyarados express their assent in their own ways. Goldeen, Seadra, and Caserin merely nod their heads while Staryu and Starmie strike a pose, making their distinctive sounds as they do. Corsola jumps in place excitedly while Politoed claps their hands happily. Marill nods their head while offering their Pokémon Trainer a pleasant smile.

Predictably, the only one looking to be mildly confused is Psyduck as he holds his head.

"Looks like Psyduck hasn't changed." Ash remarks with a half-smile as he scratches the back of his neck.

"I've tried to get him to become less of a dimwit duck, but it always seems to fail." Misty says with an aggrieved sigh before offering Ash and Pikachu a smile. "Except for one thing."

"Except for what?" Ash asks, bemused.

"You'll see." Misty replies mysteriously before clearing her throat. "Anyway, you guys can rest for a bit as I won't need any of you for Gyarados to show their strength."

All nine of her Pokémon nod in understanding.

"Okay!" Misty exclaims, clasping her hands once more before walking over to the back of the room. She seems to be fiddling with some sort of unseen panel before turning back around. "Time to get this training session underway!"

No sooner had those words left her mouth did a strange, metallic grinding sound fill the air. At first moderately fazed, Ash and Pikachu look up to the ceiling, spotting to rectangular slits open up, both of them equal in every respect.

After the holes look to have stopped expanding, two silver poles descend slowly from the ceiling as a single piece of what looks to be sturdy Machamp Paper is attached to each of them. Before Ash can pose a question about the peculiar display before him, a second goes by and the leftmost paper bursts into flames as the right paper remains wholly unaffected.

"Okay Gyarados, show 'em what you got!" Misty encourages curtly as her faithful Pokémon nods in assent.

Staring with their gaze fixed on the flaming paper, the Atrocious Pokémon unleashes a loud roar before a blast of concentrated water is blasted forth from their mouth, the Hydro Pump attack quickly dousing the flames steadily consuming the paper. Before Ash and Pikachu can react, Gyarados moves their gaze to the undisturbed paper.

Paper that doesn't remain undisturbed for long as the dual Water- and Flying-Type Pokémon releases another concentrated blast from their mighty jaws. This time the attack is a swirling display of blazing heat, the Flamethrower quickly incinerating the paper and leaving naught but a sliver of a scrap in the move's wake.

Both Pokémon Trainer and Pokémon are rendered speechless as Ash and Pikachu gaze in stupefaction at such powerful Pokémon Moves, somewhat glad that they aren't subjected to such raw strength.

"Remind me never to get on your Gyarados' bad side." Ash remarks dryly, still staring in wide-eyed amazement at the Atrocious Pokémon.

"Pi Pikapi." Pikachu adds with a nod.

"Gyarados _isn't_ just effective on the offensive though." Misty says, turning around once more to mess with whatever is behind her, the effects of her handiwork being found immediately as the two silver poles are retracted back into the ceiling as the holes they came from close with a solid metal click.

Walking away from the back of the room, Misty moves to stand next to her friends. Gyarados turns their face to stare impassively at their Pokémon Trainer and her friends as the rest of Misty's Pokémon that aren't in the water begin to crowd around her.

"Now to test Gyarados' Protect." Misty says before focusing her attention on her other Pokémon. "Okay guys, I want all of you to unleash your strongest attacks on Gyarados." She leans down, placing her hands on her knees as she can more adequately make eye contact with all of her Pokémon. "Are you ready?"

All of her Pokémon make sounds of varying volume that show that that is exactly what they are.

"Great!" Misty says with a wide grin before pointing at her Atrocious Pokémon. "Okay Gyarados, here we go!"

And with that, Gyarados' eyes glow red as their mouth is outline in a faint blue.

The first to attack is Goldeen. Their horn rotating at a rapid pace, the Goldfish Pokémon goes to attack the Atrocious Pokémon only to be swatted back by a blast of blue energy from Gyarados' mouth.

The next three Pokémon to test their luck are Seadra, Staryu, and Starmie. The former inhales deeply, their cheeks swelling up before they unleash a massive blast of water as the latter two leap into the air as they begin to spin at a blinding speed before moving in towards the dual Water- and Flying-Type Pokémon. However, just like before the Dragon, Star Shape, and Mysterious Pokémon are defeated as Gyarados' protect slices through Brine as it sends Staryu and Starmie spiraling into the depths of the pool. Their ruby gems dim for a second before they hop out of the water, completely unharmed.

Politoed, Corsola, and Caserin are the next three to try to land a blow against the intimidating Pokémon. The Frog Pokémon pulls back their fist, a glow of silver encompassing it for a brief moment before fading as the Coral Pokémon glows white while pointing their horns in Gyarados' direction. The Rendenvous Pokémon readies their own attack in the form of a beam of light blue.

In a repeat performance of skill, Gyarados expertly deflects the Mega Punch, destroys the barrage of Spike Cannon with a series of blue discs, and cutting directly through the Ice Beam.

Lastly, being the two Pokémon that haven't attacked yet, Psyduck and Marill psyche themselves up for their chance to land a blow against their opponent.

Well, Marill anyway. Psyduck seems content with just staring blankly at Gyarados.

A moment, so silent that one could hear a pin drop, passes before the two Pokémon attack.

Being the more alert of the two, Marill is the first to begin as they engulf their tail completely in crystal clear water. The Aqua Mouse Pokémon then jumps into the air before turning around with the intent to smack Gyarados' over the head with the viciousness of their Aqua Tail.

An Aqua Tail that ends up being irrelevant as Gyarados blasts the attacker away with a particularly huge blast of blue.

Psyduck, having noticed that he's the only Pokémon who hasn't yet taste the bitterness of defeat, looks to his left and his right before holding his head in confusion.

"Just give him a moment." Misty says, cutting off any comment Ash could make as she gives the Duck Pokémon an unreadable stare.

A few moments of almost _awkward_ silence pass before Psyduck's eyes glow blue. The Duck Pokémon stays like that for a good ten seconds before his usual aimless features harden into something almost _frightening_. Without waiting a moment more, Psyduck lowers his hands before sending forth an attack.

At least, that is what those present assume as they don't see any form of a physical attack.

Unless…

 _Unless it_ isn't _a physical attack!_

"Psyduck must be using Psychic!" Misty exclaims.

Such a statement is proven true as, after Gyarados looks around suspiciously, glances by his right front and rears their head back to fire a disc of Protect in the direction they believe the Psychic-Type Attack to originate from. And their assumptions are proven correct as those present can most assuredly confirm how they hear the sound of something being shredded soon fill the air.

It would seem to be just in time as Gyarados' eyes lose their glow before dropping slightly.

"As incredible as that was, I think Gyarados is getting tired." Ash remarks, glancing from the Atrocious Pokémon.

Before either human can add anything, the sound of a stomach grumbling fills the air.

"And _I_ think that _someone_ is hungry." Misty says with a smirk, crossing her arms as she gives her friend a pointed look.

Before Ash can possibly formulate an indignant reply, Misty dedicates her full attention to her Pokémon. "Okay guys, you deserve a nice, long rest after all that."

The redhead's Pokémon offer up their gratitude. All except for Psyduck anyone who is already passed out on the ground and sleeping away.

"Now," Misty begins, redirecting her attention to her surprise visitors after she becomes satisfied in the knowledge that her Pokémon aren't taxing themselves. "I think it's time for some breakfast, don't you?"

Ash's response is his grumbling stomach as growls from Pikachu's own soon join the chorus.

The redhead simply smirks in an all-knowing sort of way as Ash and Pikachu just scratch the back of their necks, the former having a blush start to decorate their features.

* * *

As soon as Ash and Pikachu sit down at the kitchen table in the Cerulean City Gym, they pale considerably. Something that doesn't go unnoticed by Misty.

"Ash, Pikachu, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing!" Ash answers a bit too quickly as he raises his hands and shakes them back and forth, a gesture that Pikachu soon imitates. "Nothing at all!"

"Right." Misty deadpans, not believing her friend and his Pokémon _at all_. She gives her surroundings a cursory glance before her eyes fall upon the spatula in her hand and her close proximity to the oven.

Narrowing her eyes at Ash and Pikachu - mainly at the former - she crosses her arms as she feels the beginning of a vein throb in her forehead.

"Ash," She begins, her voice low as she digs the fingers of her unoccupied hand into her arm. "If you have something to say about my cooking, _say_ it."

"What are you talking about Misty?!" Ash shouts with a nervous chuckle. "I don't have _anything_ to say about your cooking!" He turns to Pikachu. "Right buddy?"

Instead of doing what the raven-haired male expects his loyal Pokémon to do, the Electric Mouse Pokémon shrugs with a careless air, as if saying _You're on your own_.

"Thanks Pikachu." Ash grumbles, giving his Pokémon the faintest of glares. Turning his attention back to his best friend, if the russet-eyed male was pale before, he's practically as white as a sheet as he sees what's in her viridian eyes.

"So Ash, do you have something to say?" Misty asks, tapping her foot against the cool tile of the room.

The two Pokémon Trainers stay staring at each other before Ash, knowing he's outnumbered, sighs in defeat.

"Well, remember your cooking back when Brock was sick?" Ash asks, scratching at his face as he hopes that Misty isn't planning on thwacking him with the spatula in her hand.

Actually, instead of her hostility increasing, Misty just smiles at her best friend before shaking her head. "I _do_ remember that." The redhead says with a nod before putting her spatula to her shoulder. "But you'll be in for a tasty surprise once you realize what I've been up to when I haven't been maintaining the Cerulean Gym."

"A... _tasty_ surprise?" Ash repeats, giving her a skeptical look.

Misty feels her smile tighten at the edges at her best friend's rudeness, but chooses to maintain some sense of decorum. "If it'll make you feel better," She relents with a sigh. "You and Pikachu can help me with making breakfast."

With the way they had a sparkle in their eyes and how it looked like they were practically _ejected_ from their seats, Misty thinks that they couldn't have gotten up any quicker.

* * *

Misty soon learns the folly of her generosity as she stares, half-horrified and half-impressed, at the seven pancakes on Pikachu's plate and the twenty-five pancakes and one egg on Ash's plate. When compared to the three pancakes and two eggs on Misty's plate, it's apparent which of them may have gone a _bit_ overboard while they were cooking.

"Geez Ash," The redhead begins dryly as Pikachu pours himself some orange juice after the humans poured themselves a glass. "Do you think you have _enough_ food on your plate?"

Ash just grins at his fellow Pokémon Trainer as Pikachu already begins devouring his meal. "What can I say Misty," He says, pouring some delicious Snorlax Brand Maple Syrup over his mountain of food, the substance made from a secret recipe rumored to be a combination of the most savory of Berries and the purest sap from the healthiest of towering Maple Trees.

Stabbing his fork on his topmost pancake, he slices a rather sizeable piece of it off with his knife before putting it in his mouth, his eyes lighting up at such good food. "I'm a growing boy." He finishes around a mouthful.

"More like you have the appetite of a Snorlax." Misty remarks, snatching the syrup from the raven-haired male before pouring it on her own meal.

"I actually dressed up as Snorlax once." Ash says as he crams more food into his mouth before gulping it down. "While Pikachu and I were in Kalos, there was this town that really _loved_ Gourgeist-"

"Kind of like that town we visited in Johto that was filled with Wobbuffet?" Misty interrupts.

"Kind of." Ash says, completely eating one of his pancakes before leaning off to his right as he sifts through his backpack. Unlike when Pikachu was searching for the Baby's Breath, Ash finds the crimson device indicative of a Pokémon Trainer much quicker. "Here." He says, opening it as he pulls up the Pokédex Entry for Gourgeist.

Misty swallows the last of one of her eggs, taking a sip of orange juice as she listens to the mechanical voice speak.

" _Gourgeist, the Pumpkin Pokémon and a dual Ghost- and Grass-Type."_ Ash's Pokédex says, a three-dimensional image of the Kalosian Pokémon appearing. " _Singing in eerie voices, they wander town streets on the night of the new moon, enwrapping those they come across with their hairlike arms. This unique Pokémon is well-known for their ability to come in one of four different sizes: small, average, large, and super."_ To better show this fact, the Pokédex cycles through the three other sizes before returning to the original image depicting a Gourgeist of average size. " _Gourgeist is the only known Pokémon so far that has such a distinct characteristic."_

"I wonder what kind of Water Pokémon live in the Kalos Region." Misty muses before Ash continues.

"Anyway, I think it's really only one day that they have anything related to Gourgeist."

"Interesting." Misty says, eating a third of her other egg before turning to Pikachu with a smile. "What about you Pikachu? What did you dress up as?"

Swallowing the last of one of his pancakes, Pikachu turns fully to face the redhead. "Pika Pikachu." The Electric Mouse Pokémon says as he pulls down on his ears before putting both of his paws in front of his face. "Pikachu."

"You were a Psyduck?" Misty asks, both as a guess and desiring confirmation.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheers, confirming the redhead's assumption.

The trio then lapse into a comfortable silence as they go about cleaning their plates. Given the fact that Misty didn't have as much food on her plate compared to her companions, she's the first one done. The Cerulean City Gym Leader soon leaves her two friends alone to finish their dishes while she goes to check on her Pokémon and to see how they're faring.

Right when she finishes up checking on Psyduck after seeing how her other Pokémon are faring from their earlier activity, that's when Pikachu comes into the bounding into the battlefield as Ash trails behind him. The male rubs his stomach, a satisfied grin on his face as he walks up to Misty, the redhead crouched down to the floor as she chats with Psyduck.

"I guess you were right Misty." Ash says, rubbing his stomach one last time before crossing his arms behind his head. "That _was_ really good!"

"I'm glad you liked it." Misty says with a pleased grin. She rubs Psyduck on the head before sending the Duck Pokémon on his way. The yellow Water-Type Pokémon soon goes off to play with Marill before the duo are joined by Pikachu.

"Wasn't as good as Brock's cooking though." Ash remarks.

"I don't think _anyone_ can cook like him." Misty agrees, crossing her arms as she stands up.

"I think my mom could probably cook ten times as well as ol' Brocko." The raven-haired male remarks, his eyebrows creasing in agitation.

"Of _course_ you would say that Ash." The orange-haired female says with a grin as they walk over to sit on the bleachers on the left side. The two sit side by side as they watch the Water-Type Pokémon present and Pikachu enjoy each other's company and go about their day in their own way. "She's your _mother_."

"Yeah." Ash says dreamily, his mouth salivating as if thinking of just how appetizing his mother's cooking can be.

"Don't go drooling all over me Ketchum." Misty chides with a wry smile as she snaps the fingers of her left hand in front of her best friend's face.

Ash stares blankly ahead before shaking his head. Lifting his right arm, he rubs it against his mouth to soak up any residual saliva that may have escaped. "Sorry Misty."

"A mountain of pancakes in your stomach and you _still_ have the room to think about eating more?" Misty wonders aloud, releasing an exasperated sigh. "Makes me wonder how much more you would've eaten had I not run out of flour and sugar."

Instead of commenting verbally, Ash chuckles bashfully, a thin layer of red seeping into his cheeks.

"So," Misty starts, placing her hands on the cool metal of the bleachers beneath her before rocking back and forth once as her gaze is fixed on the aquatic battlefield in the room. "How _was_ Kalos anyway?"

At such an inquiry, Ash mimics Misty's position before sighing nostalgically. "It was _amazing_!"

"Really?" The redhead asks as the two Pokémon Trainers glance at each other out of their peripheral vision.

Ash nods his head. "Yeah! The people and Pokémon I met there are really something else!" He turns one hundred eighty degrees in his seat so he can move effectively regard his best friend. He smirks before saying: "I think you would've liked it too. Kind of reminded me of those pictures you loved to look at while we were traveling of places like France and Greece."

"You forgot Italy." Misty adds with a wistful sigh, raising her hands to cup her face. "Oh what I wouldn't give to be able to actually visit them!"

"I don't see what the big deal is." Ash says.

"Of course you don't." Misty says, lowering her hands to cross her arms. . "You're the one who's always wanting to catch more Pokémon and besides," She pauses to give Ash a wink. "I always was the more romantic one."

"Yeah, yeah." Ash grumbles, rolling his brown eyes and folding his arms. Silence falls between the two young friends stare at each other, a look of curiosity flashing in the male's russet-eyed gaze. For the oddest most inexplicable reason, Misty feels the air around them start to become charged with tension.

"That reminds me of something I've been meaning to ask you Misty." Ash says, his voice strangely soft.

"What is it Ash?" Misty asks, her skin feeling prickly, as if she was being subjected to an almost unnoticeable Electric-Type Move.

"I was just wondering if, maybe," Ash starts, lifting a hand to scratch at the nape of his neck as a furious blush begins to color his features. "You might be seeing someone right now."

Oh.

 _Well then._

"To be honest Ash," Misty begins, keeping her tone neutral as she tries to gauge the situation before her. "I've been too busy with the gym, spending time with my sisters, and taking caring of my Pokémon to really think about that."

"Oh." Ash says lamely before flashing her a lopsided grin. "Yeah, me either." He adds, adjusting his hat with the hand he was using to scratch his neck. "Those gym badges won't earn themselves."

"Yeah." Misty agrees, feeling the prickling sensation on her skin transform into something that can only be described as a _burning itch_.

The two Pokémon Trainers sit staring at each other then, a stifling blanklet of awkward uncomfortability falling on top of them, neither of them seeming to want to speak any more for the sake of preserving some semblance of order.

A quiet that exists until, fed up with acting _so painfully awkward_ around one of her best friends for no conceivable reason, Misty speaks up.

"Remember how I mentioned that Psyduck was still the same Pokémon except for one thing?" The redhead asks, hoping that Ash will take the hint.

Judging by the slight widening of his eyes, he practically _lunges_ for the topic like a lifeline. "Yeah, why were you being so vague about that?" He asks.

"I think I'll let Psyduck do all the talking." Misty says with that familiar mysteriousness. She stands up before walking down the bleachers, Ash in close pursuit while she calls for her Duck Pokémon to appear.

Finally, after almost a third calling of his name, the yellow Water-Type Pokémon appears.

"Psy?" Psyduck says as he tilts his head, his flippers at his sides. "Psyduck."

"Psyduck, do you think you can show Ash what I taught you?" Misty asks sweetly, crouching down so she can be at eye level with her Pokémon.

"Psy Psyduck?" Psyduck asks, still wearing his signature clueless expression.

"Yes Psyduck, _that_." Misty confirms, nodding her head with an encouraging grin.

"Psyduck." The Duck Pokémon says with a nod of their own before walking to the edge of the pool.

"Uh, Misty, are you-"

"Shh!" Misty interrupts, the beginnings of a broad smile on her face. "You'll see."

The two friends watch as Psyduck stands on the very edge of the pool before taking Ash by surprise as he _willingly_ jumps into a body of _water_.

His eyes widening, Ash expects for the yellow Water-Type Pokémon to flail around helplessly before someone goes in to help him. However, what the young male from Pallet Town sees quite literally takes his breath away as he utters the two words he thought he'd _never_ say.

"Psyduck's _swimming_!"

"Yep!" Misty says with the broadest grin Ash has ever seen on the young female's face. "It took a while, but Psyduck can _finally_ swim without _any_ assistance!"

The two friends walk closer to the edge of the pool to more adequately regard Psyduck's achievement. The raven-haired Pokémon Trainer feels completely awestruck as he views the Duck Pokémon happily swimming about the pool in all sorts of styles. The Butterfree, Growlithe Paddle, and Backstroke being among the styles employed.

"Wow Misty." Ash breathes out before he turns to grin wildly at his best friend. "That's _awesome_!" He crosses his arms with a proud smirk. "Like a real master of Water Pokémon."

"Thanks Ash." Misty says, feeling her face heat up dramatically at her friend's genuine words of praise. She chuckles. "I'm nowhere close to being a Water Pokémon Master yet."

"Well, I don't know about the rest of the world Misty," Ash says, his arms crossed and his eyes closed as he nods his head after every word. He pauses to look at his best friend and this time Misty feels her _own_ breath leave her at the almost _radiant_ smile adorning her best friend's handsome profile. "But to me, _you're_ a true master of Water Pokémon!"

As the two friends stare into each other's eyes, Psyduck - having been in close proximity to them - grins at them, his flippers to his bill as he gives both of them a knowing look. The Duck Pokémon isn't the only one as Pikachu and Marill regard the scene with interest.

Meanwhile, as Misty stares into the eyes of the man she loves, she is elated to know that the oppressive awkwardness between them is gone; that they can talk with each other without feeling the least bit anxious. For Ash, he is happy just being able to have an enjoyable time with one of his dearest and closest friends.

And as a crimson blush breaks across their cheekbones, both of them know that they are _exactly_ where they need to be.

 _The purest of confessions however, can come in the form of a few simple words. The two in love_ knowing _where their heart lies by merely spending time together on a quiet afternoon._

 **Edited November 4th, 2016: Since I soon realized after I posted this that Rome is in Italy, I changed the former to Greece.**


	3. Protecting Each Other

**PokéShipping Week 2016**

 **November 4th**

 **Day #4 - Protecting Each Other**

Pushing herself up from the dirt-packed ground, Misty Waterflower peeks out of her refuge in a desiccated rose bush to glance to her right and to her left, making sure that none of the patrolling guards are close to her temporary sanctuary.

With a barely-suppressed sigh, she curses the name of the man who's causing herself to put her _life_ on the line. Absently, she wipes her begrimed fingers on her dark brown tunic, the article of clothing chosen for its camouflage purposes.

With another furtive glance, she jumps out of her bush to run down the wooded pathway, stopping to climb up a maple tree, her motions quick and deft as she peers down at her surroundings.

She cannot help wondering _why_ she's bothering to risk _everything_ by being _here_ of all places. The probability of her getting shot, imprisoned, or _who knows what_ relatively high.

The answer to that comes in the form of hair as dark as ravens and the most earnest of brown eyes.

 _Ash Ketchum._

Looking to see which pathway would be the _best_ direction to go in order to infiltrate the atrocious structure that holds the young male captive in its decaying claws, Misty cannot help but think of her best friend.

A companion that - after a wide variety of trials and tribulations sent before them - the redhead soon fell in love with.

 _C'mon Ash, you better be in there._ Misty thinks, narrowing her eyes as a tight-lipped smile crosses her features as she notices a slight opening. One of the guards keeping watch, a stout, freckled redhead, looks to have had too much to drink as a crimson blush adorns his features. So inebriated is he, that Misty is convinced that he could fall unconscious at any given moment if he hasn't already.

Not one to let such a prime opportunity pass her by, Misty takes a deep breath, glances to her sides once more, and runs to the guard.

If the guard _could've_ reacted either by physical force or sounding an alarm, the world may never know as the orange-haired female expertly draws the dark azure sword holstered on her back and strikes the male in front her over the head with the blunt of it.

 _A team's only as strong as its weakest link._ Misty thinks of the oft-quoted phrase as the redhead in front of her is effectively lost in dreamland. With a half-smirk, she looks around, her face falling when she spots two of the guards monitoring the area coming towards her.

And unfortunately for the young redhead, she doesn't go unnoticed as she's illuminated by their torchlight.

"Halt!" The taller of the duo demands in a shout, running towards her as the small of the two leaves their compatriot, undoubtedly to raise the alarm. "Stop where you are trespasser!"

"As much as I'd like to stick around," Misty says, her smirk returning as she brandishes her sword in front of her, the sharpened edge gleaming in the moonlight. "I've got somewhere to be!"

And without waiting for the guard to come any closer, Misty runs into the forested area next to them, intending to lose her pursuers in the trees. She also puts her sword back in its holster. Continually winding around trees, such a tactic proves effective as she cannot see anyone chasing after her.

However, she soon questions the sensibleness of her actions as the ground beneath her feet fractures and breaks, the upheaval causing her to lose her footing before she falls into an inky underground abyss.

* * *

When she lands in almost pitch blackness, the first thing that Misty does is cough. Rather _uproariously_ too as her impact causes a puff of dust to be thrust up into the air.

When she finally stops after a particularly loud wheeze, she looks around her dimly lit surroundings. Blinking against the darkness, Misty spots a singular torch as the culprit lighting up the room, what looks to be some sort of wood-burning stove, a bookcase with some cookbooks mixed in with some fantasy novels, but not much else.

"Where am I?" Misty wonders out loud, idly rubbing at her most likely bruising backside.

"It's been a while since you've been here, hasn't it Misty?"

The aforementioned redhead almost jumps into the air at the sudden masculine voice filling her ears. She's about to pull out her weapon and point it at the unknown male before his familiar baritone registers in her mind.

A smile forming on her features, Misty turns to her old friend and wraps her arms around him in a warm embrace.

"It's good to see you too Misty." Brock Slate remarks with a chuckle as he returns the hug.

"How have you been Brock?" Misty asks, curious. She pulls away to regard the stony features of one of her best friends, his black eyes like coals that give the redhead some semblance of comfort in her emotionally trying time.

"I think the more important question is: what are _you_ doing here?" Brock asks, giving an almost piercing gaze to his best friend.

Misty smiles ruefully, thinking the male before her always was the more perceptive one out of their small trio. Her smile flattens into a thin line as she explains to someone she practically sees as an older brother her reason for how she ending up in one of Brock's secret hideaways.

"I see." Brock says, nodding his head as he has a hand to chin. "So Ash ended up captured, huh?"

Misty sighs out of both a tender exasperation with the young male and out of concern when considering the fact that he's currently in grave danger. "Yep. He wanted to be the hero and help a small town and, well," She sighs once more as she waves her hand in the air before putting putting it to her temple. "You know the rest."

"Yeah." Brock says with a nod, smiling faintly at the mention of the heroics - however impulsive and reckless they may be - of the young male. His features severe as he gives Misty a regretful stare. "As much as I'd like to help Misty, I've-"

"Don't worry about it Brock." Misty interrupts with a genial smile, already knowing what her best friend was going to say. While she isn't entirely clear on the details, one day the entire Slate Family lived up to their name in the most peculiar (and most literal) way possible when they found themselves transformed into different rocks and gems. Needless to say, given the strangeness of such phenomena, Brock and all his brothers and sisters have led a sort of nomadic lifestyle as their parents - oddly untouched - work tirelessly to defend their children.

While she feels a stab of bitterness at her heart, she understands. The orange-haired swordswoman herself would most likely be concerned for her family too. If not for the fact that her sisters - unlike Brock's family - don't necessarily have anything that they would be hunted for aside from their beauty. That and the fact that they're all quite competent despite what one would be led to be believe.

"I'll handle it myself." Misty declares softly, determination shining in her viridian irises.

Brock laughs shortly at that. "As stubborn as ever I see."

The redhead narrows her eyes at the comment as a crimson blush rises in her cheeks. Stifling any feelings she may of wanting to pursue that, she shakes her head. "Anyway, Brock, I _know_ you can't help me."

"But?" Brock prompts with a raised eyebrow.

"But," Misty resumes with a small hopeful grin. "Do you think you could help me infiltrate their base?"

Brock's features are unreadable as he seems to contemplate his best friend's request. Just when Misty thought he was going to deny her, he grins at her.

"I guess helping you break into their base wouldn't be that much of a problem." Brock says.

Misty smiles fondly at her best friend as his hands transform into slowly-rotating drills; tools harkening back to a different life, a different time. "Thanks Brock."

* * *

Swiping some coarse dirt and pebbles made of bedrock out of her face, Misty crawls behind Brock as he sets above digging the last of the tunnel before stopping with a grunt.

"Okay Misty," The brown-haired male starts, his mane made up of the same rock as the rest of him. The two sit across from each other as they can hear the sounds of chatter reverberate above them. "This is as far as I go."

"You've done more than enough Brock." Misty assures, glancing up at the black-and-white tiled floor above them. She smiles at her best friend. "I think I can take it from here."

"Before you go Misty, there's something you should have." Brock says before pulling his small polychromatic backpack: the colors comprised of brown, green, and orange. He shifts through it before pulling out to moderately-sized pieces of gem that look like a ruby and a sapphire.

"What are they Brock?" Misty asks as she accepts the mysterious gift, letting the rocks sit gingerly in the palm of her hands.

"Gems from the twins." The tall male replies, referring to his siblings Billy and Tilly. He pauses to point at the ruby before changing to the sapphire. "The ruby should help you if you find yourself outnumbered and the sapphire should be able to help you sneak past the guards."

"I see." Misty murmurs, intrigued.

"Just throw them on the ground and step on them and you should be good to go!" Brock adds as Misty gives him a quick half-hug.

"Thanks again Brock." Misty says with a smile.

"Don't mention it Misty." Brock says, returning the smile.

And then, like the quietest of whispers, he's gone.

Looking above her, Misty's eyes harden with determination as she pockets the two gems. Pulling her sword out, she readies it for use.

"I hope this works." The redhead mutters before slicing her blade across part of the tiled floor that she can see. Exhaling a deep breath, she closes her eyes, opens them, and then jumps into the fray.

* * *

The first thing that Misty sees when she surfaces are a plethora of guards turning to her with varying amounts of surprise on their faces at her appearance. Surprise that soon turns to rage and indignation as they draw their weapons. Some of them carry swords, some daggers, one even wields a stave while the rest of them pull back their bowstrings as they train their arrows on her.

The _second_ thing that the redhead sees (which gives her no small amount of gratification as she watches the chaos unfold) is how mystifying confusion crosses the faces of all her hostile opponents as they yell at each other to catch the intruder.

Biting back a snicker as she glances at the shattered blue at her feet, she looks around, wondering where her best friend can be when she soon spots a small indentation in the northwest wall of the towering structure.

 _A staircase!_ Misty cheers before running to it unencumbered as she hears the sounds of her enemies screaming fading into the background as she soon begins her assent.

 _Don't worry Ash,_ the orange-haired woman thinks as her eyes blaze with fire, her worry transforming into fury. _I'll be there soon!_

* * *

Struggling against the iron shackles binding him to the wall behind him for around the tenth time since his incarceration, Ash Ketchum screams out in agony as he feels the electric current _surge_ throughout his body. Upon his arrival, the very first thing his captors did to him was devise a method to turn his own gift against him and transmogrify it into a curse. Hunching over, the raven-haired prisoner pants heavily as sweat drips down his face.

"Interesting." The pale, blue-haired male remarks. It was as if he was analyzing a rare specimen instead of interacting with a living, breathing human. "Despite previous findings, you _still_ fight against your bonds." He sighs, almost inaudibly as something akin to disgust flashes in his soulless blue eyes. "Only further proof of how a world with such pesky ideals as willpower and emotion is a broken one indeed."

A sneer on his face, Ash glares angrily at the man holding him captive. "If you're trying to break me, you _won't_." He states, defiance shining in his russet eyes.

"Sooner or later, even the strongest will can be broken." The man, much older than Ash, disagrees coldly.

Before any obscene words can be exchanged between the two, their attention is soon diverted to the singular entry to the small room aside from the small window in the west wall. The door, made up of wood and steel and standing strong, is soon but a memory as it's decimated and left in pieces. And standing where the door used to be, white-knuckling the sword in her hands, is a _very irate_ redhead.

Before Ash can greet his best friend however, another surge of electricity courses through him as the blue-haired male smiles politely at the newcomer, the display nothing but a falsehood.

"Ah, Misteria Waterflower, I see you have come seeking your companion?"

"And I plan on taking him with me." Misty says decisively as she makes a threatening flourish of her weapon. "Even if I have to go through you Cyrus."

"I see." The man says, putting his hands to the small of his back. It's obvious in his stiff posture and his unchanging expression that he is entirely unconvinced. "Your strong will is deserving of condemnation."

"Well, you're right about saying that I have a strong will." Misty remarks with a confident smirk.

"Careful Mist," Ash advises with a gasp as he tries to recover from the assault on his body. "He's a lot stronger than he looks."

"I've always liked a good challenge." The redhead says coolly.

"You should listen to the boy, whelp." Cyrus adds severely, his features an unreadable mask. "You know _nothing_ of the strength you're up against."

"We'll see about that." Misty mutters and Ash can tell that the older male's arrogance is rubbing his best friend the wrong way. Puzzlement soon fills his eyes as he wonders about the strange red gem now sitting in her left hand as her right hand holds her sword in just a grip just as tight as it would be had both her hands been around it.

"Yes, we shall." Cyrus says right as Misty throws the ruby on the ground and crushes it underfoot. The action causes a warm, almost ethereal glow of red to encapsulate the room, the light filling Ash with its energy and relaxing his tense muscles and cleansing his ravaged body of the electricity that was crackling in his veins.

Feeling lighter, he grins as the scarlet glow coalesces in the center of the room before going to envelop Misty in its radiance. The mystical energy gives the redhead's features a rosy tint as her bluish-green eyes look like they've _thrummed_ to life. Even her sword looks more powerful than before.

(If Ash squints, he would swear to the end of his days that he saw what looks like a crimson dragon coiling around the weapon as it breathes what appears to be azure flame.)

"Perhaps this battle will help elucidate me in how to properly break a person's will." Cyrus ponders aloud, a malefic smile ghosting across his countenance. It was so quick, those present could believe that they just imagined it. He gives the girl in front of him a level stare as he draws his twin swords: both of them shining with a soft lustrous as the silver material looks unbreakable.

"Yeah, well, prepare to be disappointed." Misty states, almost mockingly as she grips her sword in both her hands.

And then, after twenty seconds of staring the other down, the two foes engage each other, the force of their weapons colliding sending sparks flying. Grinning with a certain eagerness as his brown eyes _gleam_ with unguarded adoration for his most treasured friend, Ash knows with complete certitude who the victor of the battle will be.

 **Edited February 14th, 2017: While I was skimming through this chapter, I realized that Cyrus saying a world _without_ willpower and emotion is broken doesn't make sense considering his character so I changed it.**


	4. Sleeping Together

**PokéShipping Week 2016**

 **November 5th**

 **Day #5 - Sleeping Together**

 **Rated M**

Releasing an appreciative sigh, Misty Waterflower supports her head with her left hand as she gazes down at a sleeping Ash Ketchum, a loving smile on her face as her bluish-green eyes sparkle with tenderness. With the way the early morning rays of sun are filtering into her bedroom, lighting up the resting features of her boyfriend, the orange-haired gym leader of Cerulean City feels herself overcome with a greater regard for the simpler things in life. Of being able to sleep in the same bed as the man she loves on a tranquil Saturday morning.

While she loves battling new trainers from far and wide that want to compete in the Indigo League and _adores_ the way her raven-haired best friend _glows_ with irrepressible excitement at the thought of capturing new Pokémon or participating in an enjoyable bout of Pokémon Battling, she cannot deny how grateful she is that there are moments when she can just step away from the hustle and bustle of a day full of frenzied activity and just savor life's quieter moments.

Sighing once more with content, the edges of Misty's eyes crinkle with love as she pushes a few strands of Ash's hair out of his forehead. Sometimes, when Misty is alone with her thoughts, she cannot help thinking about how lucky she is to have found someone like him.

Sure their relationship isn't perfect (although, what kind is?) and there were instances in the past when she would ponder if she would ever be able to stay with Ash for more consistent periods of time, she wouldn't change it for all the Water-Type Pokémon in the world. Whether they be discovered already or hidden in some unknown corner of their mysterious, amazing Pokémon World.

She _still_ cannot believe the events that led up to them eventually becoming a couple.

Or, at the very least, those snippets of time that preceded them baring their feelings to each other.

Her, outfitted in her newest swimming suit as she did just that with her faithful Atrocious Pokémon in the sanctity of the pool in the Cerulean City Gym.

Hearing a rather impassioned, persistent knock on the front door.

Putting on a simple azure cover up after drying off before heading to the door.

Almost having her face punched in due to the exuberance of her familiar guest and his Pikachu before he grins at the sight of her.

Catching up on what they've been doing while they've been gone and engaging in some small talk as Pikachu went to play with Marill and the other Water-Type Pokémon.

Laughing and grinning before the aspiring Pokémon Master, as he was caught up in the conversation, placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and seemed to forgot it was there.

Her friend, smiling fondly before realizing what he's doing as both of his hand found their way onto his friend's shoulders.

Blushing furiously as he scratches the back of his neck.

Their conversation soon changing from times both old and new to any romantic inclinations they may have had over the years or if either of them is in a committed relationship.

Both of them admitting that there hasn't been anyone that fits such criteria in their lives.

 _Except for_ one _._ Misty admitted.

It might not have been as romantic as the redhead may have been hoping for, but it was lovely nonetheless.

Without giving it a second thought, Misty leans down to plant a chaste kiss on her boyfriend's forehead.

"I love you so much." Misty says softly, a hand gently cupping a side of her best friend's sleeping face.

"Love you too Mist." Ash murmurs, his eyes still closed.

"Ash!" Misty exclaims, yanking her hand away as if she's been burned. A light salmon blush dusts her cheeks. "How long have you been awake?!"

"About since before you were messing with my hair." Ash answers, smiling wryly as one of his eyes opens.

"I was not _messing_ with your hair!" Misty denies hotly, crossing her arms as Ash sits up. Considering the way the male doesn't look at all groggy, it's apparent that he's been awake for a while. "I was just _fixing_ it!"

"Sounds a lot like messing with it to me." Ask remarks, scratching at his black hair before running a hand through it.

"Whatever." Misty mutters, convinced that nothing she could say would make her boyfriend think otherwise. Before she can possibly formulate another word in regards to the raven-haired Pokémon Trainer's hair, something else catches her interest.

"What are you doing up so early anyway?" The orange-haired Pokémon Trainer asks. It isn't as if the idea of her best friend waking up before her is a foreign concept; sometimes he would wake up before the sun even rose up into the sky. Especially true if he had a gym battle to look forward to or wanted to get in some extra training with his Pokémon.

At the question, Ash freezes before he scratches the back of his neck. He chuckles bashfully, a rosy tint seeping into his cheeks.

"Ash?" Misty says, curious as she feels her suspicion grow. It isn't often her boyfriend acts even remotely awkward are her, so to see him have such a furious amount of color on his face must mean…

 _Something must_ be up.

Coughing into his hand, the aspiring Pokémon Master seems to force the heat out of his face. Giving his girlfriend a grin, he raises a hand to lightly touch Misty's bare shoulder, a delightful, small shudder going through her at the contact.

"I was just thinking," Ash begins, coy as his grin widens. "We never _did_ finish our _training_ from last night."

" _Training_ , huh?" Misty repeats, a fraction of her best friend's grin on her face when she catches on to what he's referring to. Her grin transforms into a smirk while Ash starts to gently rub her shoulder; the ministrations soft, yet sensual.

"I don't know Ash." Misty says, affecting a dismissive air as she lifts a hand to remove Ash's from her shoulder. She doesn't let go. "I think I got _all_ the _training_ I needed done."

"Really?" Ash retorts, unconvinced if his raised eyebrow is any indication. He smirks. "I think we still have some left to do."

He finishes by squeezing Misty's hand before, faster than the redhead can react, he pulls her towards him.

"Oof." Misty mutters as she goes from looking into her boyfriend's brown eyes to seeing nothing but his bare chest. "A bit _eager_ , aren't you Mister Pokémon Master?" She asks, her smile as sardonic as her voice as she looks up into his eyes.

"Maybe." Ash muses before tucking an errant strand of hair behind Misty's ear.

" _Now_ who's the one _messing_ with other people's hair." Misty quips.

"I guess I am." Ash responds without missing a beat as he chuckles. He then gazes into his girlfriend's eyes, the corners of his crinkling with love before he sighs.

As the two lovers stare into each other's eyes, their smiling faces softening into subdued expressions of mystified affection. Without even waiting for her best friend to say another word, Misty presses her lips against her boyfriend's own; a fleeting gesture.

"So, what were you saying about _training_?" Misty asks, grinning mischievously.


	5. Through the Eyes of Others

**PokéShipping Week 2016**

 **November 6th**

 **Day #6 - Their Relationship Through the Eyes of Others**

The first to notice it would be Tracey Sketchit.

If you asked the artist when he first noticed an attraction betwixt the two Pokémon Trainers, he would say that it was when they visited Navel Island for Ash Ketchum's second badge for the Orange League in the Orange Archipelago.

Given the way Misty Waterflower seemed more intent on focusing her attention on Danny than the other Pokémon Trainer and how he seemed almost _jealous_ at the attention the other man was receiving, assuming that there is _something_ between them is merely natural.

Such curious inklings are only further validated when they visited Trovita Island and Mandarin Island South. On the former, they encountered the third Orange Archipelago gym leader who became quickly enamored with the temperamental orange-haired female after she had saved his little sister from tumultuous waves whilst on the the latter they had encountered the duo of Ralph and Emily who owned a male Nidoran named Tony and a female Nidoran named Maria respectively.

As the artist saw Ralph and Emily fight, he couldn't help comparing it to the interactions Ash and Misty shared.

(Of course, when he mentioned such a sentiment, the two were quick to deny it. The Cerulean City Gym Leader looked about ready to throttle him too.)

What truly convinced Tracey was their excursion to the Shamouti Island. Aside from the jealousy that was exemplified by the aspiring Water-Type Pokémon Master whenever Melody showed the aspiring Pokémon Master _any_ display of affection, there was that moment Misty jumped into the water to save Ash when Lugia was momentarily defeated by the rampaging Legendary Birds of Kanto: Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres.

The orange-haired female had tried so valiantly to rouse the unconscious male that before the Pallet Town native awoke, the Pokémon Watcher was thoroughly convinced that the Cerulean City native was planning on resorting to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in the heat of the moment.

(Though, given the female's love of Water-Type Pokémon and from what the artist saw of her swimming capabilities, the fact that she would be able to adequately perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation wouldn't be at all surprising.)

After Tracey parted ways with Ash and Misty to study under the esteemed Pokémon Professor Samuel Oak and they began their journey through Johto along with an old friend, there remained little doubt in his mind that a relationship would flourish and bloom.

Ash may be the densest guy on the face of the planet, Misty an impetuous girl unable to admit to feelings that are _so obviously there_ , and the both of them so young, but it is inevitable that the strength of their bond will pull them together, the two of them colliding into something new and _beautiful_.

The second person to detect a certain _pull_ between Ash and Misty is Brock Slate, former gym leader of Pewter City, an aspiring Pokémon Breeder-Turned-Doctor, and their closest friend.

For Brock, the attraction he saw he is the kind of love that just _is_. A variety of stalwart affection that you run into full force without any preparation in the slightest.

After all, when Brock first met the two of them, they were but strangers, both of them starting out on a journey. A rather hectic excursion all things considered.

To call them friends at the beginning would have been but a naïve sentiment. With the way the orange-haired Pokémon Trainer was constantly reminding the raven-haired male about how he needed to reimburse her for her broken bicycle and how they would argue at the most minor of provocations, one would be more inclined to believe the duo were enemies at worst or in a relationship of convenience at best.

However, as time wore on, Misty either stopped reminding Ash out of a newfound friendship, forgot about it entirely, or a little bit of both as their arguments became more light-hearted instead of the intense screaming they would often have.

And their arguments weren't the only thing to become carefree.

Brock isn't sure _when_ it happened, but when he started travelling with Ash and Misty after his time spent on Valencia Island with Professor Ivy (the least said about _that_ the better) and their time spent exploring the Orange Archipelago there was definitely something _different_ between the two of them.

Their interactions softer, the Pewter City native can say with the utmost certainty that the two went from confrontational strangers to the most caring of friends.

With the potential for _more_ lurking beneath the surface.

While Brock _cannot_ say that he bore witness to any decisive evidence that would prove if Ash and Misty had any romantic inklings for each other, he _can_ say that there _is_ something between them.

They may be too young, but Brock thinks it's only a matter of time.

The third person to detect something brewing between the two Pokémon Trainers was surprisingly _not_ one of Ash's or Misty's friends. In truth, the Team Rocket Trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth were the next to entertain the concept of Ash and Misty falling in love and being in a relationship.

While in retrospect they - or at least Jessie - would say they suspected something was amiss in the interactions of "the Twerp and the Twerpette" during their time on the Shamouti Island, what all but confirmed their doubts was when the Twerpette visited the Twerp in Hoenn.

When all was said and done, the Team Rocket Trio could recall how the raven-haired male practically _lit up_ like a swarm of mating Volbeat and Illumise at the sight of the orange-haired female.

Though the three criminals _don't_ believe for a moment that Ash - young and innocent as he may be - understands his elation fully, they _do_ believe Misty does and that the aspiring Pokémon Master will learn in due time.

They know better than anyone that good things come to those who wait.

The fourth - and by association, fifth - person to ponder the nature of Ash and Misty's relationship would be the brother and sister duo of Max and May Maple. Given the siblings close proximity, Max's proclivity to expound upon his knowledge, and May's appreciation of a good conversation, anything that one of them knew, the other was quick to become privy to it. If it wasn't particularly embarrassing and/or private anyway.

When Ash, Brock, Max, May, and all their Pokémon friends visited the site of the Millennium Comet Festival and encountered the Mythical Pokémon known as Jirachi, it was from the comforting words of Ash that gave rise to Max's skepticism. Given the nature of their kinship, it also furthered May's suspicions as well.

They both became curious of their friend and his relationship when Ash was ecstatic at Misty's arrival in Hoenn and how he seemed to deflate in light of her departure.

When Ash had consoled Max about how Jirachi would soon leave, despite the vagueness of how he stated his thoughts about the strength of a good friendship, it wouldn't take much thought to realize he was referring to Misty.

And so, after careful deliberation, the two siblings became secure in the knowledge that whatever it is that exists between the two Pokémon Trainers, it just requires a little _push_ to send it into motion.

The only question being _what_ the deciding factor will be.

The fifth person to assume that Ash and Misty cared deeply about each other would be Dawn Berlitz.

What's peculiar about her realization is how sudden such thoughts filled her mind given how little time they had spent together.

The aspiring Top Coordinator would say that it had started when they went fishing one day. She remembers clearly how her newfound friend was fishing with a miniature doll lure that he treated with all the possessiveness one would associate with priceless family heirlooms.

(While the blue-haired female knows that Ash is an ultimately good person at the end of the day and would _never_ intentionally or willingly hurt someone, she thought he would command Pikachu to use Volt Tackle on her.)

While not definitive proof in it's own right, the kind of sentimentality that Ash exhibited in regards to his friend's home-made lure represents a deep, personal bond that's hard to replicate, if not impossible.

And as she held her mother's prized ribbon in her hands within the confines of her tent that night, her fingers moving gingerly across its surface, Dawn understood perfectly.

The next two people to presume that Ash and Misty had affectionate entanglements between them would be Cilan and Iris.

If one were to ask them individually, aside from them commenting differently due to their perspectives, they would both speak of one example in which Ash's attraction to the fiery orange-haired female came up.

Whilst Cilan would say that such pure feelings enjoyed between two people is a delectable recipe made with exquisite spices and the most extraordinary of ingredients and should be cherished and praised and Iris would most likely say that Ash is too much of a little kid to be in a relationship, let alone understand them, the two Unovan natives can both agree that the moment they detected something was amiss was when they visited the Kantonian Fair along with Natural Harmonia Gropius.

Aside from Ash and his Pikachu virtually _bursting_ with prideful joy towards their home region, one name in particular came up the most.

From that moment on, the two would always think of Ash Ketchum and his relationship with Misty Waterflower.

The most recent person (or persons as the case would be) that either Ash or Misty have met and befriended that thought the two were in love would be Clemont, Serena, and Bonnie in the Kalos region. The first of the Kalosian Trio to figure it out was ironically the person smitten with Ash ever since they met all those years ago at Professor Oak's Summer Camp and the first seeds of Lillipup Love were planted within the honey blonde girl's heart.

She didn't realize it all at once, no, that would be too simple. For her, it was the slow process of piecing the puzzle together until the young girl came to the heartbreaking truth that the one to whom she had given her heart to already had their heart under the firm sway of another.

The first puzzle piece appeared when they visited the Ambrette Town Aquarium. At the sight of so many Water-Type Pokémon, Ash talked about a friend of his would've loved the place.

Of course, given the innocuous nature of the statement, Serena didn't give much thought of it. Not even when they caught sight of a Piplup and a Corsola and Ash mentioned the names Dawn and Misty did she bat an eye.

Perhaps if she had, she could've prepared herself for the heartache to come.

The second puzzle piece came when the Team Rocket Trio decided to masquerade as Ash, Pikachu, Serena, and Bonnie to terrorize the citizens of Kalos, battle outmatched Pokémon Trainers, and eat whatever they pleased without paying.

One comment that stuck out the most in the blue-eyed girl's mind is how the magenta-haired criminal said that it was strange going around town and having to act at least somewhat polite and sincere whereas if she dressed up as someone else, she could more easily be her volatile self.

The fourth puzzle piece came in the form of an inter-dimensional portal hidden within the mystifying Reflection Cave. Granted, Serena herself never ventured into any parallel worlds, but from what she heard from Ash, the journey was truly something else.

She still finds it hard to believe that there's a world where she's mean and cold (and mainly to _Ash_ ), Clemont is some sort of athletic sorcerer, Bonnie is something akin to a civilized socialite, and Ash himself is a bit of a scared weakling.

What was most interesting, he said, was the pink handkerchief hanging prominently from his counterpart's neck.

In hindsight, Serena should have suspected that something was peculiar about that.

Serena discovered the fifth piece when their little group had split up in Lumiose City.

Given the day's auspicious nature, Clemont and Bonnie had taken all of their Pokémon including Pikachu for a fun day of adventure whilst she went with Ash to acquire some festive gifts for their Pokémon friends.

As they were searching for gifts, they had stumbled upon a storefront window. One that was displaying a fanciful array of Pokémon dolls dressed in impressive finery. While Serena wanted to keep moving, dubious of such an item, Ash's gaze was fixated on the diorama, a fond, almost sad smile on his face. In an instant - before the honey blonde could pose an inquiry - the russet-eyed male was back to his jubilant, carefree self and determined to get their Pokémon the greatest of gifts.

And Serena, so swept up in the happiness embodied by her crush was she, that she didn't think twice about that odd smile.

Once more, it wouldn't be the only time she would think she should have.

The penultimate puzzle piece fell into place when their little group were tangling with a Pokémon Hunter and encountered Doctor White. What was most interesting was the fact that Jessie of Team Rocket was disguising herself (however thinly) as the doctor's assistant, Jessalia.

After explaining that she wished to quit Team Rocket and stay with Doctor White, they were left speechless. That is, until Ash interjected, his eyebrows furrowed.

 _You're_ quitting _Team Rocket?!_ He demanded incredulously to which Jessie responded with a sneer and a glare.

 _Why should_ you _care Twerp?_ The blue-eyed woman hissed. _With me here, that's one last person to try and steal your precious Pikachu and-_

She didn't get much further as Ash unexpectedly exploded at her.

 _I_ don't _care about that!_ Ash shouted before blinking twice as he realized what he said. With a cough, he continued. _While I_ don't _like how you guys go around stealing Pokémon, you guys are a team._ Ash paused before smiling warmly, as if remembering a tender, nostalgic memory. _And teams should stick together no matter what._

 _A team?_ Jessie echoed, her eyes to the ground. However, before her gaze became completely downcast, Ash, Serena, Bonnie, and their Pokémon could see the turbulent storm shifting in her eyes.

Despite Ash's encouraging, heartfelt words, it was apparent that Jessie was truly considering the idea of abandoning the mantle of Team Rocket.

Although Serena had such incriminating puzzle pieces, she was still missing a pivotal piece; the puzzle was _there_ , but impossible to decipher.

At that point, she _knew_ something was lurking in the shadows of night that desperately needed the light of day to illuminate them. She just wasn't sure _what_ would provide such critical insight.

Until the prestigious event known as the Kalos League.

Throughout their continued journey in the Kalos Region, the young girl continued to see small bits and pieces that added further credence to the doubt festering in her heart.

Doubt that proved to be not unfounded in light of the exciting conclusion of the Kalos League and Ash Ketchum's decisive battle over Alain where - after a heated battle - Greninja made quick work of Mega Charizard X with a rather powerful Water Shuriken.

After Ash and Pikachu shared an exclamation of victory with Greninja looking quite content and the Kalos League Champion celebrating such an astounding finish along with the Master of Ceremonies as a oddly _familiar_ television crew focused on the exchange, the Pallet Town native soon met up with Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie.

While they were talking, Ash remarked that - aside from being happy about _finally_ winning in such a major league - he wondered if any of his friends back home were watching.

As he grinned so earnestly when he said that, Serena's heart ached.

Because with the sincerity in his smile, the honey blonde saw something that made her wish it was directed at her.

It was a look of vulnerable affection Serena was quite accustomed to whenever she thought of her crush and happened to be looking in a mirror at the time.

The honey blonde didn't know _who_ they were, but Serena _knew_ in that moment that there was someone, somewhere in the region of Kanto to whom Ash had given his love.

At the very least, it was startlingly clear that the raven-haired Pokémon Trainer was thinking about someone he cared for deeply.

And until the chaos that followed the Kalos League not even a day after the event did Serena learn the identity of Ash's unknown friend.

In the evening hours of the final day of the Kalos League, that was when Team Flare revealed their plan; devious machinations that bloomed up into the air like a field of poisonous flowers.

Aside from the villainous leader known as Lysandre revealing his intentions, he also elucidated those present about how Alain proved to be a most useful member of his organization and quite the efficient pawn.

(To be honest, Serena always felt that there was something sinister about the male hiding in the darkness.)

The following events flashed by in a blur.

Alain becoming almost unresponsive at the shocking news that he was unknowingly abetting a criminal institution.

Lysandre looking unrepentant as his subordinates and grunts descended upon the city of Lumiose, casting a horrendous pallor over the once beautiful City of Light.

Their little group somehow becoming separated with Ash and Alain getting cornered by Lysandre, two of his subordinates, and roughly twelve Team Flare grunts and a rather intimidating assortment of their Pokémon and Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie being forced to flee due to the overwhelming odds and Ash's own fervent insistence not to see them thrust into such peril.

The last thing that Serena bore witness to before they disappeared from view was Ash beseeching a desolated Alain for assistance as he moved to protect his Pikachu from the oncoming people he had no hope of combating.

With Ash undoubtedly captured and their small group on the run, what was once a momentous celebration became nothing but a presentation of the world's depravity.

While they were running - and before they encountered Steven Stone, the champion of the Hoenn Region's Pokémon League and the renowned Pokémon Professor Augustine Sycamore - Serena heard a trio of hushed whispers emanating from an endarkened Lumiose City alleyway.

Curious, Serena called Clemont and Bonnie back before peeking down the alleyway. As she looked, her eyes adjusting to the darkness, she spotted the familiar curve of magenta hair and a golden gleam. Aside from that, the honey blonde couldn't see much more, but it wouldn't take a genius to figure out who they were.

The first person she heard was James.

 _Poor kid, do you think he'll be okay?_

 _Forget about the Twerp!_ That was Jessie. _What about his_ Pokémon _? The_ only _ones who can steal the Twerp's Pikachu along with his Pokémon are us!_

 _After all, we've been doing it so long we're practically trademarked!_ Meowth remarked.

The three Team Rocket Members then shared a chuckle or two, as if they were laughing at some inside joke.

 _I wonder what that Twerpette would do if she was here._ Meowth mused.

 _Probably release her Gyarados and let that destructive Pokémon take care of the rest._ James suggested, his voice trembling on the name of the Atrocious Pokémon.

At first pondering what Team Rocket was talking about, Serena would soon figure it out along with the identity of the girl who stands in sole possession of Ash's heart.

 _Think she's having a good time at her gym in Cerulean City?_ James wondered after whatever terror he regards Gyarados with passes.

 _Since she doesn't have to worry about us, I'd say she's fine._ Jessie says before continuing and Serena could almost _hear_ the smirk in her voice. _Probably missing her fellow lovebird._

 _It's a shame that nothing happened between them._ James commented. _It seemed like they really cared for each other._

Serena wasn't sure what they were talking about next. All she could hear at the time was a low din and snatches of Clemont and Bonnie's conversation.

With the truth revealed and her own heart aching, Serena rubbed her right arm against her dampening eyes. Taking a deep breath, Serena hardened her determination into something sharp and resolute.

She can mourn what could have been later, but now…

 _But now,_ she thought as she turned her attention to her two companions. _I've got something more important to do._

 _We've got to save Ash, Pikachu, and the rest of his Pokémon!_

And Clemont and Bonnie couldn't agree fast enough as sparks of electricity crackled encouragingly off Dedenne's cheeks.

Soon - after Ash and his Pokémon were rescued and the reconstruction of Lumiose City began with Prism Tower eventually being lit from ground level to the top floor as it shone as an unyielding symbol of hope and the ever-boundless potential of friendship that can exist between humans _and_ Pokémon - Serena confronted Ash on the balcony connected to their rooms within the Pokémon Center as she came armed with what she knew.

(It isn't so much a confrontation as it is her honest desire to verify what she thinks she knows; to know that she can move on and wouldn't be deluding herself by thinking that she could ever hope to have a romantic relationship with him.)

Their conversation started out simple.

They talked about their future, Ash contemplating returning to the Kanto Region for a while while Serena pondered where she should go next on her journey, and their Pokémon.

However, with a completely blatant comment about Team Flare's failed attack from Serena, the conversation became directed to more sensitive topics. At first blinking owlishly at her, Ash rubbed the back of his neck and apologized for worrying her and their friends.

Before he could finish, that was when Serena asked the piercing question.

 _Who owns a Gyarados?_

The question promptly caused Ash to stop speaking as a faint hue of crimson appeared on his cheeks. And with it, Serena became wholly convinced that (without asking anything more at the moment) the two of them will only ever be friends.

 _Why are you asking?_

 _I overheard Team Rocket talking about how there's a Twerpette who has a Gyarados._

As the two continued talking - Serena seeing that same nostalgically fond smile on her friend's features - the honey blonde learned that the _Twerpette's_ name is Misty Waterflower of Cerulean City and one of his best friends; a role shared with Brock Slate of Pewter City.

Expelling a sigh, Serena gazed upon what she could see of Lumiose City from the Pokémon Center's balcony, placing her hands on the cool banister. Fighting against the tears pooling in her eyes, she turned back to her friend. Instead of continuing their conversation, Serena mentioned how it was close to dinnertime and should get some food.

A sentiment reflected in the grumbling of Ash's stomach.

Sharing a laugh, Ash was the first to leave, Serena stating how she needed to have one more breath of fresh air. After her friend left, the Vaniville Town native allowed a few tears to fall before wiping them away. With a rueful smile, Serena wondered how different life might have been had she not moved away from Kanto all those years ago.

Deciding then and there to be nothing but supportive of her friend and this _Misty_ character, Serena walked away from the banister and began the long trek of bidding her feelings for Ash farewell.

(Some time later - a few days before Ash's departure for Kanto and two weeks before her own to the region of Hoenn - Serena couldn't help herself from gossiping with Bonnie about Ash's romantic interests which, of course, shortly led to Clemont learning about it too.)

Whether or not any other friends of Ash and Misty suspected something between them shortly became irrelevant after the two soon became romantically involved a few weeks after the former's return to Kanto.

And the two of them couldn't be happier.

* * *

If you were to ask Ash Ketchum or Misty Waterflower about when _they_ became convinced that they had feelings for each other, the answers would vary.

For Ash, he would state that the first time he ever saw Misty in a romantic light would be during their time at Maiden's Peak. While he didn't know it at the time, with the way the aspiring Water-Type Pokémon Master had her hair down and the elegant garment she wore, he felt _something_ stirring in the pit of his stomach; a certain unidentifiable _warmth_.

And throughout their journeys in Kanto, the Orange Archipelago, and Johto, their friendship (and his feelings) became stronger by each passing day. However, despite his young age, there was _one_ moment that made Ash think that perhaps his relationship with Misty was somehow _different_ from all the other friends he had made through their travels, Pokémon and human alike.

After the Johto Silver Conference atop Mount Silver was at a close, their little group soon learned that Daisy, Violet, and Lily Waterflower were going on a worldwide trip for an undefined amount of time and had to leave the Cerulean Gym in Misty's capable hands. Some time after following such news Ash, Brock, and Misty soon bid each other farewell with the fact that the former had to departed from his friends adversely affecting him as he almost ran all the way to his home of Pallet Town, tears brimming his eyes at the thought of not being able to travel with his two companions for a while, if ever again.

However, the fact that Misty would no longer be by his side constantly hurt him just a _bit_ more than the fact that Brock wouldn't.

As for Misty, given the way she was always a bit more mature than her friend even at such a young age, she can more definitively pinpoint the moment that made her come to love one of her best friends.

Since many great things start out small, the orange-haired Pokémon Trainer would say she first time she felt _something_ for the excitable male was when they were in Lavender Town's Pokémon Tower searching for a Ghost-Type Pokémon for Ash's rematch with Sabrina, the gym leader of Saffron City. After being hoisted into the air by some unseen force (which she would later learn that the culprit was none other than Ash after a late night conversation with Pikachu shortly after they had left Saffron City and Sabrina's strange, mystical powers behind them) and hearing Ash's voice, she became panicked.

While it _would_ be presumptuous to say that it could be called _love_ , the orange-haired female _can_ admit that she was worried for her friend. Seeing him and Pikachu trapped beneath a ramshackle candelier, seemingly unconscious and unmoving naturally led Misty to assume the worse. Thankfully for both her heart and for Ash and Pikachu they were alive.

As her feelings started to grow, she slowly became aware of the fact that she was starting to fall for the hot-headed, stubborn, but all around kind Pokémon Trainer and the way he could always unintentionally find a way to make her smile. Of course, what _really_ helped convince Misty that she wasn't going crazy and that she might actually be able to use the words _Ash_ and _I love you_ in the same sentence was their time dealing with Lawrence III and the destructive birds of Kanto in the Shamouti Island area.

Because when she swam out to rescue Ash and Pikachu after they fell from Lugia, her heart pounding in her ears as there was a very _real_ possibility that the aspiring Pokémon Master could actually _die_ , she realized that she had actually come to care for the impetuous boy who wrecked her bike and came barreling into her world, irrevocably changing it forever.

And just as Ash's feelings for her grew, Misty's did as well.

As all great loves are, it would take them some time to realize just how much they meant to each other. But nevertheless, when they addressed their feelings and met up with each other after several years apart, something amazing did take root and end up blooming into an everlasting love.

And it was worth all the time away from each other spent nurturing such feelings and wondering about the possibilities that could be found.

 **Author's Notes: While this is the last story I have written for PokéShipping Week 2016 at the moment, I'll try to write up a more decisive conclusion for day four's prompt. I believe the latest I can have something finished is by the end of the year so expect something written by December 25th!**

 **Aside from that, thanks for reading, reviewing, et cetera and I hope you all enjoyed my submissions. See you next year!**


	6. Protecting Each Other: Part Two

"Your proficiency with a blade is impressive." Cyrus remarks after parrying a blow from Misty that was aimed to slice his forehead. "Your skills almost surpass that of Saturn's."

"You're not too bad yourself old man." Misty quips, trying for the fifth time to slice open Cyrus' forehead (and maybe blind him in the process momentarily depending on how much blood seeps from the wound) before settling on trying to strike his arm with the blunt of her sword after he deflects her blow. Once more though, he manages to keep the blade of her sword at bay with his own.

Biting back a curse, the redhead cannot help thinking that their match is a stalemate. Even with the enchantment afforded her by the ruby that Brock gave her, she cannot seem to land a blow. The only positive aspects of their little _tête-à-tête(-à-tête_ if she considers Ash's presence) that Misty can see is that Cyrus hasn't been able to land a blow either and that she's gotten his attention away from her best friend.

Deflecting another blow, Misty lifts her left hand from her sword to rub the back of her neck, thinking of what the ruby bestowed upon her.

 _Brock said that it'd help if I find myself surrounded._ The orange-haired female thinks as she puts her hand back to her sword.

Misty considers the fact that, aside from emitting a strange scarlet shine, she _does_ feel admittedly more powerful than before. She also feels like she could keep battling Cyrus for several hours and not become the least bit fatigued.

Blinking her eyes, Misty smirks before deciding upon her next course of action. Without waiting for Cyrus to make another move, she strikes out with her sword, her target being the center of his chest.

Predictably, the older male manages to deflect the blows with his twin swords, but before he can speak, that is when Misty attacks. With her sword raised high, she brings her sword down to cut Cyrus' left pant leg.

Grinning in victory, the redhead notices with much gratification that the older male's left pant leg has a rather sizeable slash running diagonally through it from the middle of his kneecap and stopping before his ankle. Misty takes note of the slight blood oozing from the wound as well.

"Perhaps I was wrong in my earlier assertion." Cyrus muses out loud, eyes lingering on his wound whilst he somehow manages to look completely alert. He moves his gaze back to his foe. "Saturn never could land a blow against me."

"I guess that makes me unique." Misty remarks with an arrogant smirk. Her confidence only grows due to her best friend's cheering.

"Woo!" Ash exclaims, grinning widely despite his circumstances. "You show 'em Misty!"

"Will do Ash!" Misty responds before taking her sword and - after making as to strike her opponent's left arm only to go for his face - makes a small incision in Cyrus' right cheek, blood slowly dropping from the wound.

She chuckles as she maintains a steadfast grip on her weapon. "I plan on it."

However, despite the battle going in Misty's favor more and more by every passing moment, a brief pause in her movement brought on by her watching as the ruby glow engulfing her starts to dissipate is all Cyrus needs to tip the scales. Faster than either the redhead or Ash can see, the older male manages to upset Misty's balance.

With her equilibrium upended, Cyrus manages to push his advantage and sends Misty teetering backwards.

As she flails about, her sword still in hand, she gets farther away from her opponent until she ends up at the room's window.

And without a second's pause, a look of terror shining in her viridian eyes, Misty begins to fall out the window.

"Misty!" Ash shouts, his concern evident as he begins to struggle wildly against his shackles.

"A shame that we're not of the same affiliation." Cyrus remarks with the faintest of callous smirks. "You would've made quite the useful ally."

The swordswoman's only response is a hateful glare at the older male as she fights to regain her balance. Such an action however, proves to be in vain as she falls from the window. The only thing preventing her from meeting a most certainly fatal fate is her hands finding purchase on the cool material of the window's outline. Her sword is sent skittering across the the floor in the process.

"As stubborn as always I see." Cyrus comments. "Such impetuousness needs to be made an example of."

While the blue-haired male moves closer to the redhead in order to finish his task, Ash continues his fight against his bindings.

"C'mon you stupid hunk of metal." The raven-haired male mutters with no small amount of derision. He bites his lip, his upper teeth sinking into his bottom lip. He shifts his russet-eyed gaze from Misty and her ever-encroaching foe to the floor at his feet several times, his anxiety mounting.

"All things considered Miss Waterflower," Cyrus starts, _almost glaring_ at his opponent. He crouches down so that they are at eye level. "You were a worthy foe."

And with that, Cyrus slams both of his swords into the left and right sides of the window, causing the structure to weaken and crumble. He then stomps down on Misty's left hand, eliciting a cry of pain from the redhead as she hangs on to the window frame with one hand.

It would seem Cyrus doesn't bother with her other hand as, with the window slowly deteriorating and her having an even more tenuous hold on her salvation, Misty's hand lingers for a moment before, with a gasp, she's unable to hold on much longer.

In a brief moment, Misty's eyes meet that of her best friend. Ash cannot help thinking, as his best friend's eyes are on his and his heart beats erratically in his chest, that she's conveying a message of apology.

"MISTY!" The raven-haired male roars, fighting against his bindings with renewed intensity and in an almost blind panic. Sparks flying off from where his shackles bind his wrists and ankles, Ash feels tears brim the corners of his eyes, his heart almost _hurting_ in its palpitation.

 _I'm_ not _going to let you die Mist!_ Ash thinks, grinding his teeth as he can feel the chains keeping him captive chafe and dig into his flesh. At the moment, he doesn't care if he ends up making himself bleed as long as he can make sure that no harm befalls his best friend.

About a moment later, well, something nothing short of _miraculous_ occurs.

Call it as something mundane as the adrenaline coursing through his veins allowing him to shatter his shackles.

Call it as something as extraordinary as an action of the purest of heartfelt adoration making it so he can _act_ on his heroic impulses.

Whatever the case, as the bindings holding Ash in place fall away, turning into dust in the process as he lurches forward, his electricity crackling between his fingers, what happens is truly incredible.

Liberated, a fleeting smirk of triumph adorns the raven-haired male's features as he launches his electricity forward and through the window in an astonishing _surge_ of power. Keeping an eye on Cyrus, Ash squints at nothingness as he moves his hands however slightly, smiling with an almost face-splitting broadness as he feels his magic graze his best friend.

Soon, he pounces on the opportunity as he encircles the redhead in the white-hot majesty of his ability. The color shifting from white to yellow and back, Ash's electricity undulates through the air as he pulls Misty free from the jaws of oblivion and sets her down next to him, ready to fire off an arc of electricity if Cyrus tries an attack.

"Are you okay Mist?" Ash asks, worry present in his irises as he keeps one eye on Cyrus while using some of his electricity to fetch Misty's sword. Dropping the weapon in front of his best friend, Ash rubs his best friend's back; the comforting motion a simple circle.

"Well, I think I'm losing feeling in my left hand and I almost fell to my death." Misty answers before giving her companion a withering glare. "But other than that I'm _great_."

Ash chuckles whilst Misty tries to grip her sword in both hands. At first seeming to have an adequate grip on it, she drops it with a grimace. Rubbing gently at her injured hand, she picks it up with her right hand. "Wouldn't expect anything less."

"Touching." Cyrus says brusquely, holstering his left sword for a brief moment as he uses it to brush his right shoulder clean of the dust that had gotten there from his close proximity to the collapsing wall. "However, you won't feel so assured once I've broken you both."

Ash smirks in response to such a statement, brown eyes sparking with the same electricity flowing through his veins. "I'd like to see you try!" He taunts, removing his hands from his best friend's person. Upon standing up, he claps his hands together before pulling them apart; his fingers twitch slightly as electricity begins to crackle between his fingers. "When you play with electricity, you're bound to get burned!"

The two opponents soon stare each other down before the younger of them lurches forward, almost falling down due to what Misty says.

"Actually Ash," she starts, standing up while testing her grip on her weapon once more. "It's if you play with _fire_ , you're bound to get burned."

" _Misty_!" Ash whines childishly despite their current situation as he stands up straight. "You're _not_ helping!"

"Excuse me for wanting to correct you!" Misty retorts, her features souring as she glares at her companion. "It's not _my_ fault that it's _fire_ , and _not_ _electricity_!"

"But it sounds _cooler_!" Ash defends, the electricity between his fingers spiking. "And I _can't_ even use fire!"

"Well," Misty starts with a sardonic smile upon her features. "that's _not_ my problem!"

Before the conversation (or rather, argument) can continue any further or the tension in the air between the two become charged any more, they're taken aback when they find themselves face to face with a familiar pair of twin swords.

Cyrus, after becoming fed up with such ceaseless chatter, had pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily before jumping into the fray once more.

"Excuse you," Misty mutters as she deflects one of Cyrus' swords. "We were talking here!"

"Is _that_ what you call such inane squabbling?" Cyrus deadpans as Ash manages to evade the older man's other sword.

"Geez, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." Ash remarks, taking a steadying breath.

"What would give you _that_ impression Ash?" Misty quips, parrying both of Cyrus' attacks as the aforementioned man closes his eyes.

"Just a feeling." Ash murmurs offhandedly, clapping his hands together. Electric sparks jumping to life between his fingers and arcing across his palms, the young man channels his energy into the space betwixt his hands.

Taking another deep breath, two symmetrical golden glows begin to flicker into existence before two razor-sharp blades of electricity appear. Taking the blades in his hands, the two weapons give off the appearance of tumultuous waves; constantly undulating as they change from blazing white to calming bright yellow to mysterious purple as it continues in a fixed cycle.

"Did you get this _feeling before_ or _after_ he locked you up?" Misty asks, lips curled up as she parries another of Cyrus' attacks.

"I'd say it was probably when my shackles caused my own electricity to attack me." Ash responds, brandishing his polychromatic blades, the action making a surge of sparks to emanate from the sharpened edge of his swords.

"Yeah, I don't think I've repaid-"

Before Misty can finish her sentence, viridian eyes widen as she lifts her left hand to gingerly touch her right cheek.

Pulling away, her fingers covered in blood, Misty turns to glare at her opponent as a horizontal cut runs from her nose and stops at her right ear.

"Looks like," Misty starts as notices a glare beginning to manifest on Ash's face. Rubbing at the blood dripping from her wound, she also notices how Cyrus seems to be almost smirking in his triumph. "That's _two_ things I'll need to pay you back for!"

"Interesting." Cyrus remarks whilst Ash maneuvers around the hostile man to stand next to his best friend. "Such foolish efforts will ultimately be in vain."

"We'll just have to see about that," Ash says, a confident smirk on his face as Misty brandishes her own weapon. "Now won't we?"

* * *

Standing on opposite sides of the room, Ash and Misty stare down Cyrus while all three of them are tense with anticipatory energy; waiting to see who will make the first move.

The first to attack is Ash as he strikes out with a slash of his swords only to have them deflected by Cyrus' own. The older man doesn't stop there as he reaches out in his own attack.

While Ash is able to abate one of his swords, the other ends up making a glancing strike against his neck. A faint river of blood ebbs out of the almost unnoticeable wound from his neck into his tunic.

"Misty's right." Ash mutters dryly with a smirk. "For an old man, you're rather handy with a sword."

"Or perhaps," Cyrus says as the two men clash their respective swords against the other's, a faint explosion of sparks coming off the edge of Ash's weaponry before falling onto Cyrus'. "You're not as proficient in swordplay as you'd like to believe."

"Strong enough to beat most of your grunts!" Misty says, making to cut a diagonal slash along Cyrus' back with her sword.

With an almost inhuman speed, her attack is blocked by one sword while he manages to keep Ash's swords at bay.

"Had you engaged with one of my lieutenants," Cyrus says as the three clash once more. "You would be fortunate to escape with your lives."

Misty snorts derisively. "Talk about melodrama."

"A grunt or a lieutenant, it's all the same to me!" Ash adds, swiping at Cyrus's left shoulder with his blades. The attack ends up connecting with his target as a tear runs through the fabric of his outfit into his skin. The viscous fluid held within springs to the surface. "Just another person to defeat!"

"How curious," Cyrus remarks as the blood from his shoulder stains his outfit a deep scarlet. He parries both Ash's and Misty's next attacks. "You two possess most bothersome audacity."

"Of course _you_ wouldn't understand." Misty snarls, her sword pressing against one of Cyrus'.

"No matter what, we _won't_ let people like _you_ maim and hurt other people!" Ash adds as his own swords press down on Cyrus' other sword.

Something most peculiar soon transpires.

As russet and viridian eyes widen, they're both left speechless by what they're seeing.

 _Cyrus laughing._

Of course, while Ash and Misty tend to keep interactions with such an unpleasant man to a minimum, they know enough about the older man to know that he's inscrutable; an emotionless human being whose only facial expression is that of a grim smile.

"Your nobility will avail you _nothing_ in the end!" Cyrus states before forcing his opponents away from him.

The sudden burst of force causes Ash and Misty to lose their balance, the latter falling to their knees while the former collapses on his back.

The cold mercilessness of the floor combined with how hard Ash fell onto the surface causes him to cry out in pain. His blades, borne of his electricity, shatter and crack like glass as the pain reverberates up his spine.

"Ash!" Misty exclaims, eyes wide with concern as she tries to regain her balance.

"There are other ways of breaking a person's will." Cyrus states ominously.

With that said and Ash struggling to get up, the older man approaches the younger.

"Leave him alone!" Misty hisses, flames in her eyes rising high.

Instead of complying with the swordswoman's demand, Cyrus, heedless of Misty as he focuses on Ash, grips his swords tighter, his already pale knuckles turning almost white.

With the same inhuman speed Cyrus utilized earlier when he almost claimed Misty's life, in one fluid motion he brings both his of swords down diagonally along Ash's chest.

A hapless cry of agony ripping itself from Ash's throat, the man's eyes scrunch up in pain.

"Ash!" Misty cries out, tears springing to the corners of her eyes as she watches as blood - so, so _much_ , _too_ much blood - blooms on Ash's chest like a poisonous and deadly flower that, if not cut at the roots, spells his tragic doom.

As Cyrus stands over the weakened man like a hungry wolf cornering his helpless prey, two things happen.

The first is how Cyrus' attack on the younger man soon proves to be a fatal mistake.

With a agonized shout, Cyrus convulses in place before crumpling to the ground in a heap. His knees pressing against the hard floor, his eyes close shut as what seem to be electricity arcs off his body in violent, violet arcs.

"Guess, I-" Ash pants out through clenched teeth as he smirks wryly despite his precarious situation. "I should've warned-" he breaks off for a moment as he cries out in pain. "You about that."

"You find yourself clever?" Cyrus pants out as the electric current running through him wreaks havoc upon his body. "Hm, _boy_?" he spits.

The next thing that happens is Misty _plunging_ her sword into Cyrus' lower back, the point of penetration being near his right side.

As he lets out a cry of pain, the redhead pulls out her sword in one smooth motion as blood flows from his opened wound.

"Clever enough to beat you!" Misty hisses, her voice low as she thrusts her sword in a downward arc through to air in an attempt to rid it of the crimson fluid marring its otherwise beautiful surface.

Smirking at her foe as he's defeated for the time being, her lips flatten into a worried frown as she turns from the man soon falling upon the floor to her best friend.

Without hesitation, Misty runs over to Ash to inspect his wound. Cradling his head in her lap, she gives a startled cry of barely stifled anguish at the sight.

From what Misty can see, his chest wound is steadily oozing blood, sparks of electricity crackling off from the tattered edges of his skin.

"I think stabbing him might've been overkill." He remarks with a grin. The expression does nothing to soothe Misty's rapid heartbeat as she notices how exhausted the smile is, how his russet eyes - usually bright like radiant summer sunshine - are half-lidded and dull like unpolished metal.

"You _idiot_!" Misty snaps, feeling tears of worry brim the corner of her eyes.

She both can and cannot believe her companion. Even with a _gaping_ wound marking his chest, he can find it in himself to joke around. "This is no time for jokes!"

"At least you're okay." Ash says, his grin widening. "Kind of worried he would hurt you."

And with that, the tears at the corners of her viridian eyes cascade from them like a hailstorm.

Stupid yet selfless, Misty isn't sure whether to kiss him or finish the job Cyrus started.

Rubbing at her dampening eyes with her left arm, her gaze becomes alight with the flame of determination.

Ash may be dying, but she'll be _damned_ if she just stands by and watches idly from the sidelines.

"C'mon Ash," Misty says as she holsters her sword. Gently, but forcefully, she wraps one arm around her best friend's shoulders and the other under his knees as she hoists him up. "I'm _not_ going to let you leave my side this time."

"Sounds great Mist." Ash says with a chuckle. "Your side's where I want to be." He adds, his words slurring as he chortles.

The sound causes Misty's galloping heart to freeze up within her chest, icy tendrils soon wrapping around her heart. Shuddering from the sudden onslaught of cold, she plasters a cheerful smile to her face.

"Oh great," She begins with forced amusement in an attempt to keep both of their spirits high. "You're starting to become delirious!"

Not wanting to waste any more time, Misty gives Cyrus one last glance before running down the staircase.

In her descent, she manages to free one of her hands in order to contact a close friend of hers. Using the crystal orb she was gifted with after the three of them first met a few months ago, she informs them of their deeds and how their assistance is required immediately.

Stuffing the object aside after ending the transmission, she breathes a sigh of relief knowing that she won't have to worry about Cyrus and his lackeys, at least not for the moment.

Her throat and her chest both feel tight when her eyes land on her best friend. Still alive, he seems to be teetering between the realms of the conscious and the unconscious.

"You're going to be the death of me one day." Misty muses with a tired sigh.

* * *

"You're fortunate you got him here when you did."

Misty looks up from absently touching the wound on her face to regard the pink-haired woman. "Hm?" She murmurs, distracted.

"Had you arrived a moment later," Joy explains, gesturing to the shirtless man beside them. He mumbles something incoherently as he tosses and turns on the bed. The furniture's obsidian sheets standing in sharp contrast with the other colors of the room. "I'm not sure even _I_ could help save him."

"R-really?" Misty stammers out, heart leaping into her throat. Palms sweating, her throat suddenly feels incredibly dry. Nervously scratching at her right arm, she gazes around the small room to try and distract herself from the implications of such a statement.

Taking in the soft pastel pink colors of the small room, Misty tries to ignore the way Joy is rubbing medicinal salve around her best friend's chest wound to help accelerate the healing process.

Biting on her lower lip, she stops scratching her arm. Hands falling to interlock themselves in her lap, she gulps past a sizeable lup in her throat when Ash shudders beneath the other woman's gentle touches.

"Sustaining such a chest wound, I'm amazed that-"

Whatever the kindly physician is stupefied by remains unsaid due to how Ash lurches upright. The unexpected action causes the salve Joy was spreading across his torso to smear off to one side.

"Oh my." The older woman says, cheeks glowing red with embarrassment. Offering an apologetic smile, Joy puts the lid back on the container before standing up from her chair next to her patient. "I'll find you something to clean up with."

With a quick bow, Joy excuses herself from the room as she disappears behind a dark pink door.

Watching Joy leave, Misty turns back to her best friend. Opening her mouth to say something, Ash beats her to it as he glances around the room sporadically.

"Where is she?!" He barks out, his eyes still hazy, unfocused.

"Who?" Misty asks just as clarity fills Ash's russet gaze.

With eyes sharp and clear, the raven-haired man grins at the sight of his companion. "Misty!" Ash breathes out.

"How are you feeling?" Misty asks, chest feeling tight due to how her best friend said her name.

With sincere contentment and relief lacing his voice, Misty thinks of how it sounds like _she_ was on her deathbed instead of _him_.

Waiting for a reply, the orange-haired swordswoman is left speechless as Ash, with surprising speed given his injuries, _leaps_ forward and wraps her in an almost _bone-crushing_ embrace.

"A-Ash!" Misty splutters out at the sudden physical display of affection. "Your injuries!"

"Glad to see you're okay." Ash says, his voice muffled due to how he buries his face in her neck.

"Yeah, I'm _fine_." Misty says, stressing her assessment of her own physical state as she yanks her best friend off of her. "Geez Ash, did Cyrus hit you over the head when I wasn't looking?"

However, it would seem Ash isn't paying much attention to what she's saying as a small smile graces his features. Lifting his hands, he gently cups Misty's face before rubbing the pads of his thumbs against her skin.

Blushing at the affection - at the sensation of her companion's touch - Misty reaches up with her own hands to wrap them around Ash's. Returning the smile, Misty chuckles before the two elapse into a comfortable silence.

A quiet that's broken by the intrusive sound of a certain pink-haired caretaker.

"I'll just leave this here." Joy says, depositing a bundle of crimson fabric on the table next to them. Giving another bow, she exits through the same doors she had exited before. But not before, to both Ash and Misty's steadily reddening faces, giving them a rather significant look.

"Well," Ash starts, pulling his hands away from Misty's face to fiddle absently with the fabric of his pants. He yanks on the fabric around his knees, his flushed features refusing to return to their normal coloration. "That was awkward."

"That's one one to put it." Misty remarks dryly, her face just as red as her companion's. Hands falling to her lap, Misty watches as her best friend takes the bundle of crimson fabric that Joy presented them with to rub away the excess salve on his chest. Trying to will her face to stop burning, the endeavor proves harder than expected given her close proximity to a shirtless Ash.

The sight of his toned muscles doesn't help in the slightest.

Thankfully, Misty is provided a most excellent distraction when her best friend begins talking.

"So, what happened to Cyrus? Did he escape? How long was I out?"

"One question at a time!" Misty exclaims, viridian eyes alight with a fond twinkle as she laughs at her best friend's onslaught of inquiries.

"Sorry." Ash says with a sheepish grin, discarding the bundle of crimson fabric to scratch the back of his neck.

Choosing not to respond in kind, Misty instead lifts her right fist to her mouth to cough into it. "After I contacted Anabel, I tried to stabilize your wounds while I waited for her to show up. Unfortunately, after she was done rounding Cyrus and his Team Galactic followers up, she reported that his lieutenants evaded attention; Looker couldn't find them either."

"Uh-huh." Ash murmurs noncommittally, listening diligently to every word. Fingers grazing his chest wound, he eases back into the bed he was being tended to in. "That's not good."

Misty exhales; a loud sigh as she shakes her head. "You're telling me. There's no telling the kind of trouble Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter will get into without their leader."

"Actually," Ash begins and Misty can already tell she isn't going to like what he's going to say. "I was thinking about how you tried to stabilize my wound; it's a miracle I'm still alive!"

The silence that falls upon them is palpable.

Clenching her fists, Misty closes her eyes as a vein on her forehead _throbs_.

"Ash," she starts, the tapestry of deadly calm. "Remind me that I need to pay you back when you're wounds have healed."

"Well, it isn't like you're a certified physician." Ash remarks with a smirk.

"I'll definitely remember that the next time that you're wounded!" Misty snarls, opening her eyes to glare at her best friend. "Maybe I'll just leave you for dead!"

The two stay staring at each other for a few moments before Ash looks away, something like a remorseful smile on his face.

"Sorry Mist," he says, scratching at the back of his neck as he gives his companion an apologetic grin. "I guess that was kind of ungrateful of me to say."

"You bet it was." Misty's mutters, her tone dry. Her eyes soften considerably as she smiles. "I'm glad that you're okay."

The two share a warm smile before Misty continues.

"As for how long you've been out, well," Misty starts, worrying at her bottom lip as she raises a hand to scratch the back of her neck. "Actually, I shouldn't say."

"How long have I been out?" Ash asks, worry flashing in his irises.

"Ash," Misty starts, her voice soft. She stops worrying her bottom lip. "You've been out for seven months."

"S-seven mo-months?!" Ash repeats, incredulous as his eyes go wide. "I've been out _that_ long?"

"I'm afraid so." Misty answers.

"Then we need to get out of here!" Ash exclaims, sitting up from his place on the bed. He's about to throw his legs over the side when he hears _something_ that causes him to look at his companion.

Sitting a few paces away, Misty's hunched over in her chair as she holds her stomach, peals of laughter coming from her mouth.

"Misty?" Ash asks, looking at his best friend with concern before he understands _why_ she'd be laughing so uproariously. "Oh, I see."

"I'm sorry Ash!" Misty exclaims, wiping away laughter-induced tears as she starts to calm down. She releases a breath. "The opportunity was just _too_ good to pass up!"

"That's not very funny Misty." Ash mutters and though he's crossing his arms and sticking his tongue out like a petulant child, a faint smile adorns his features.

"You've got to admit," Misty says with a grin as she gives her best friend a playful push of his shoulder. "It _was_ kind of funny."

Ash stares at her for a moment before his faint smile transforms into a full-blown grin. "Okay," he concedes with a chuckle, scratching the back of his neck. "I guess you're right; it _was_ kind of funny."

Ash's eyes narrow as his smile changes once more, sharpening with a mischievous edge. "Now I have to figure out a way to get you back for tricking me like that."

"Oh really?" Misty says with a raised eyebrow. She crosses her arms, tipping her head up somewhat with an amused smirk. "And _how_ exactly do you plan on doing that?" She chuckles. "Wouldn't want to-"

Whatever Misty was going to advise Ash against gets lodged in her throat as, before the former can react and/or retaliate, the latter grabs her by the wrist. With a surprised _oof!_ escaping through the redhead's lips, she soon finds herself faced with a generous view of Ash's chest.

It would seem fortune smiles upon her (and Ash to some extent considering the wrath that Misty is known to unleash at times) due to the fact that, instead of the salve that was applied to Ash's wounds smearing across her face, the medicinal item seems to have dried incredibly fast.

"What was _that_?" Misty demands, removing her gaze from Ash's chest to meet his eyes.

And narrows her eyes at the grin on his face.

Before she can ask for him to elaborate upon his actions, Misty is prevented from doing so as, without so much as a vague warning, Ash begins to tickle her sides.

"A-Ash!" Misty exclaims in between laughs. She tries to fight his hands off, but even bedridden her companion has a rather impressive reservoir of strength. "St-stop that!"

"Not until I've paid you back for your little joke earlier!" Ash retorts, a particularly quick graze of his fingers against Misty's skin eliciting an even louder chuckle to bubble up from her throat.

After five minutes of dealing with being subjected to Ash's tickling onslaught, Misty feels that her best friend has had enough enjoyment at her expense.

Blinking away the tears that ensued from such raucous laughter, Misty takes a deep breath - shaky though it may be - and summons up a burst of strength to overpower her best friend's hold.

Grabbing onto Ash's wrists, she wrenches them away from her person. Using the momentary lapse of tickling to take a more steady breath, she regards the raven-haired man with a smirk.

"Okay Ash." She says with a refreshing chuckle. "I think you've both had your fun _and_ proved your point."

"Good." Ash replies with a self-satisfied smirk that, from Misty's perspective at least, looks _way_ too arrogant for its own good. "Maybe that'll teach you for trying to convince someone they've been asleep for seven months!"

"I wasn't really _trying_ to convince you!" Misty denies hotly, smirk falling from her face as she glares at him.

Suddenly mindful of the compromising situation they're in - Misty, more or less _straddling_ Ash as she holds his wrists in the air between their heads and Ash, despite his obvious wounds, rather glaringly lacking a shirt - the redhead coughs awkwardly.

Clearing her throat to try and dispense with her feelings of embarrassment, she relinquishes her grasp on her best friend's wrists before moving off of him to sit near the foot of the bed.

"Anyway," Misty continues, eyes never leaving her companion as she notices that, with a hue of pink ebbing into his cheeks, he too noticed how their position must've looked to onlookers. "I merely meant for it to be a joke!"

"A joke, hmm?" Ash mutters, crossing his arms over his chest.

Misty sighs, rolling her eyes before giving Ash a withering glare. "You're starting to sound like Gary." She mutters with derision before a good-natured smirk appears on her features. "As if _one_ isn't bad enough!"

" _More_ than _one_ Gary Oak?" Ash muses, turning his gaze to the ceiling for a moment. Closing his eyes briefly, he turns back to Misty to return the smirk. " _That's_ definitely a scary thought!"

The two soon fall victim to a bout of laughter, chuckles coursing through them as they both think of their friend and, at least in Ash's case, rival. Laughing for a good minute, the two grin at each other as they lapse into comfortable silence.

Their grins soon transforming into fond smiles, the two companions regard each other with tenderness in their eyes.

"Maybe," Misty starts thoughtfully as she scoots closely to her friend so that she sits in the middle of the bed and at Ash's waist. With her increased proximity to her best friend, she takes one of Ash's hands in her own. "After your wounds heal and Joy releases you, the three of us can meet up with him sometime."

Gaze lingering on their joined hands, Ash smiles softly at the feeling of his best friend's skin beneath his own; a sort of comforting gesture of solidarity. "I'd like that." He murmurs with a quiet chuckle before moving his brown eyes to look into Misty's own bluish-greens. "I'd like that."

Tightening her hold on her companion's hand, Misty remains silent as she returns the smile. However, feelings of confusion dance along the edges of her consciousness when she notices Ash's raised eyebrow.

"Wait," Ash starts, verbalizing his puzzlement. "The _three_ of us?" He stares at her critically for a moment before scratching the back of his neck. "Who's the third person?"

Misty, realizing that she's inadvertently obscured the truth from the raven-haired man and knowing that he's been a prisoner for practically ages, merely offers a smirk in response.

(She knows that _ages_ is a stretch at best and her being melodramatic at worst, but having to suffer through _any_ amount of time _without_ her best friend by her side is a fate she'd rather not revisit.)

Deciding that, though it may be fun for a time, she's had enough enjoyment at her best friend's expense, Misty figures that being honest is the best course of action.

That doesn't mean she cannot have a little fun first.

Tucking a strand of orange hair behind her ear, Misty gives Ash's hand a gentle squeeze before opening her mouth to elaborate.

"The third person?" Misty echoes with the barest hint of amusement coloring her voice. "I'd have thought you wouldn't need to ask."

"And why's that?" Ash asks, narrowing his eyes at her. Suspicion lurking in his irises, it's a visible indication of his uncertainty in regard to what his friend is saying.

Puffing her cheeks out before exhaling a breath, Misty grins with a knowing twinkle in her eyes. "Really Ash?!" She asks in mock surprise. She shakes her head, the action adding to her charade. "I'll give you a hint: he's partially responsible for helping me rescue you."

 _Partially responsible…?_ Ash thinks, unsure as his mouth opens slightly to silently repeat the words. And, like a ignited flame, realization dawns on his features, his puzzled frown upturning into a grateful smile as he says: "Brock."

Chuckling briefly, he shakes his head. "Should've known that's what you meant."

Misty nods her head in silent agreement. A grin soon overtakes her features as she cannot resist the temptation to say: "I'm not surprised you didn't know who I was talking about." She lifts the hand not intertwined with Ash's to put it to her mouth to stifle the laughter bubbling forth. "After all, _no one_ is as dense as you can be!"

"D-dense?!" Ash stammers, indignation marring his countenance. With one arm otherwise occupied, he nonetheless crosses the other over his chest. "I'm not _that_ bad!" He grumbles before averting his eyes from his best friend. "You _were_ really vague."

Misty shrugs her shoulders, unabashed by such a (rather accurate) comment.

"Really?" The redhead asks, her disbelief at the electrically gifted man's assertion apparent as she raises an eyebrow. "Ash, Brock's family - except his parents - are more or less completely made of stone, and even _they_ aren't as dense as _you_!"

An offended mutter leaving her best friend's lips, Misty continues her verbal assault.

"Besides," she adds, her eyes momentarily shining with unguarded affection before relapsing back into to a sense of normalcy. "That isn't the _only_ thing that took you forever to figure out."

And before Ash could pose a question, Misty simple raises their interlocked hands in front of their faces; their eyes flickering between their appendages before landing on each other's faces.

A soft smile on Misty's face at the implications of her statement, Ash soon returns in, a lovely shade of salmon decorating his cheeks.

"Yeah," Is the young man's murmured agreement as the same unguarded emotion shifting through Misty's eyes earlier rests within his own. "I guess you're right about that."

"And I don't plan on letting you forget it _any time soon_." Misty jokes, punctuating her last three words in time with a squeeze of Ash's hand.

As a lull forms in their conversation, the noise that soon fills the air is like music to Misty's ears.

Laughter, pure and honest, fills the air. With his head thrown back, Ash looks incredibly amused; a smile on his face as his eyes fall shut.

Lifting his free hand to his mouth in a fist to stifle his chortles, Ash's eyes open.

"I guess I should be happy about that." Ash remarks with an earnest grin before giving Misty's hand a tender squeeze of his own. "I wouldn't want to forget."

"I _do_ leave _quite_ the impression after all." Misty says, the barest hint of a suggestive smile on her face. Given how quickly she turns her head to look upon her nails, Ash is convinced that it might've just been his mind playing tricks on him.

After that, the two elapse into a lovely kind of companionable silence, Ash and Misty both stealing glances at each other. Their hands still interlocked, the peaceful tranquility betwixt the two is quickly shattered as a familiar voice speaks, making her presence known with a clearing of her throat.

"As pleasant as this scene is," Physician Joy starts with a tender smile, holding what appears to be a small box of some sort under one arm. "I believe your wounds need to be retreated."

Looking at the kindly older woman - Ash with a blink, Misty with a dubious glare - the two glance at each other. A moment passes and, with hesitation clear as a cheerful summer day on their faces, they reluctantly relinquish their hold on the other's hand.

Standing up and backing away to allow Joy to go back to work, helping Ash with an expedient recovery, Misty grumbles something that, while incoherent, does not sound _at all_ flattering.

Taking a deep breath, Misty resumes sitting where she was previously. Her features softening, she crosses her arms as she watches Joy reapply some of the salve from earlier onto Ash's chest before pulling what appears to be a mortar and pestle out of her box.

Setting them on her lap, Nurse Joy next pulls out the most peculiar plant either Ash or Misty has ever seen.

In the shape of a sunflower, the petals are an odd obsidian, the center a peculiar vermillion. Setting it down into her mortar, Joy quickly adds eight more of the same flower before setting the box aside.

Taking her pestle and getting to work grinding the flowers down, she seems to be oblivious of the odd looks from Ash and Misty.

That is, at least until she begins speaking.

"Using the rare _Espaira Sworan_ flower, it can be broken down using a mortar and pestle for a narrow, but effective, variety of medicinal purposes."

Still not entirely sure of the strange flora, neither of them have the heart to really question it given their nonexistent medical backgrounds.

Instead, the three sit in silence with Joy pressing on in her work and Ash watching while sparing a quick glance at his chest wound every few moments, the blemish already looking incredibly better.

Misty for her part, occupies her time by touching the blemish marring her face.

Idly, she wonders if Cyrus' attack will leave a scar. And if it does, she wonders if it will err in the direction of the obscenely garish or merely a faint reminder of another battle.

While unlike her older sisters, Daisy, Violet, and Lily, Misty doesn't particularly care all that much about her physical appearance, she would be lying if she said it didn't bother her if she ended up having an ugly scar marring her countenance.

Before she can think too deeply about her own vanity, her attention is diverted when her ears catch the sound of an insistent whisper, the utterance being a simple _hey!_ undoubtedly directed at her.

Hand lingering on her face, Misty looks up to see Ash looking at her.

And the way he's smiling with such sincerity makes her heart skip a beat. Beyond that though, as Misty returns the smile a moment later, she can tell what her best friend is telling her without so much as a gesture in her direction.

Removing her hand from her face, Misty merely sits in continued silence as Joy seems to be finishing up with her mortar and pestle.

"One more and-!" Joy exclaims, striking her mortar with her pestle, bits of flower sticking to the device as she smiles with contentment at her work. "There!"

Getting up and walking over to the physician to get a good look at the older woman's work, Misty stands at Joy's shoulder while Ash simply leans forward in his place on the bed.

From what the two young adults can see, it seems to be a most peculiar blend of obsidian and vermillion, the colors shifting like the waves of the sea; crashing like water upon jagged rocks.

"And the finishing touch!" Joy exclaims, her smile soft and proud. Snap her fingers, she twirls her hand around once before depositing what appear to be sparks of blue into the mortar.

Judging by how the concoction turns a comforting shade of pink - however fleetingly - the effect is immediate.

"Now, open wide!"

Before Ash could have even a moment to process Joy's request, the physician more or less _forces all_ of whatever she made into the raven-haired man's mouth.

And considering how his face scrunches up in horrified agony, the experience was _not_ pleasant.

"What the-!" Ash starts, swiping at his mouth with the back of his head. Pulling it away, he glances at the liquid residue on his hand before glaring reproachfully at the older woman. "What was that?! It tasted _horrible_!"

As if to further add to such an exclamation, Ash shudders, spluttering as if it'll help remove the foul taste from his mouth.

Physician Joy though looks completely unabashed while Misty's eyes sparkle, hands to her mouth in an obvious attempt to suppress the laughter brought on by such a display.

The former is the first to speak as she folds her hands in her lap after setting aside her tools. "An old family recipe my grandmother made." Joy explains, shrugging her shoulders and tilting her head back and forth twice. "She discovered that by crushing down the _Espaira Sworan_ flower with a mortar and pestle and applying a bit of natural magic, it created a liquid medicine that's unparalleled in how helpful it is."

"And how _disgusting_ the taste is!" Ash adds, coughing thrice to prove his point. He closes his eyes for a moment as another shudder rips through him.

Joy regards the young man sympathetically. "Yes, I'm afraid that the taste is rather foul." She shakes her head, staring down at her hands with a worried frown. "I've tried consulting with my grandmother about altering the recipe to improve the taste, but," sighing, she raises her eyes to meet Ash and Misty's. "She expressly said that tampering with the recipe would only hinder its medicinal capabilities."

"I can still feel the taste on my tongue." Ash mutters, sticking his tongue out as he tries to look at it.

Shaking her head at her companion's crass statement, Misty interjects with, "Speaking of this recipe, is crushing down flowers and adding some nature magic _all_ it takes?"

Whatever misgivings Joy feels, it would appear that that question is all it takes to soothe her mind.

Noticing a mischievous glint in the older woman's eyes, Misty awaits her response.

"Actually," she starts with a wry grin, tucking a strand of pink hair behind an ear. "The flowers _must_ be imbued with a magical spell known _only_ to my branch of the Joy Family."

"Really?" Misty asks. Listening attentively, the redhead cannot help balking at the comment alluding to the massive girth of the physician's family. The only two families that even come _close_ to the sheer numbers of people biologically-related are the Jenny sisters and the Don George brothers, the latter of whom sponsoring a great many battles across their home region of Unova, each of them designed to help each of its participants reach the true potential of their physical and/or magical strength. They've even reached the point where they sponsor battles that test one's mental acuity.

As for the law-abiding members of the Jenny Family, each of them striving to protect all reaches of the world, part of the reason they're so many of them is due to how every other generation of Jennys, a good portion of them are gifted with the mystifying ability to duplicate themselves to the point where one of them can soon become twenty.

Honestly, it can get a bit tiring; running into a Joy, Jenny, or Don George, expecting one person but running into another.

Unless your close friends with one of them - or they have a defining quirk that goes beyond helping the sick and injured, fighting crime, or organizing competitions - telling them apart is all but impossible.

(As far as Ash and Misty know, such a sentiment doesn't apply to Brock; even if two Joys or two Jennys are similar in every way, he can tell them apart instantaneously.)

With a shake of her head, Misty refocuses her thoughts. Crossing her arms, she listens to Joy's response.

"Really." Joy confirms with a nod of her head, a smile playing at her lips.

"I'm guessing it's to keep people from mass-producing it or something?" Ash muses, raising a hand to graze the fringe of his chest wound.

Giving it a cursory glance, if Ash and Misty didn't know any better, they'd say it looks to be healing with remarkable speed.

"Something like that." Joy says, toying with a strand of her hair. She tucks it behind her ear before continuing. "I suppose you could call it an added safety measure; one of the few locations where the _Espaira Sworan_ flower grows and prospers is a secret that's been passed down for generations."

"My grandmother passed it down to my mother who then passed it down to me." A nostalgic smile touches her lips then, her eyes looking distant as if she's remembering a time long ago. "I can still remember the day that my grandmother and my mother introduced the recipe to me and-"

She breaks off, tears brimming the edges of her eyes. Chuckling, she rubs at her eyes with her index finger; using the back of it to brush away her tears. "I'm sorry, you two probably don't want to listen to such a story."

"That's not true!" Ash exclaims, startled somewhat by the older woman's statement. He turns to Misty with a grin. "Right Misty?"

Nodding her head in response, Misty crosses her arms and grins but remains silent.

Taking a deep breath, Joy lets out a chuckle.

"There's not much to tell." Joy admits. "Though I suppose what I remember most is how the sun felt pleasantly warm, it takes at least three ingestions of the medicine, and the delightful meal we had."

As the two other occupants of the room listen on to every word, one of them reacts adversely to the information presented before them. Their eyes practically bulging out of their head, they pale considerably before shouting, "You mean I have to drink that awful-tasting stuff at least _two_ more times!"

Both Misty and Joy turn their attention to a panicking Ash, looking like he might flee from the room at any moment.

"It can't be _that_ bad!" Misty teases with a grin.

"Previous patients _have_ said that the taste gets better after the first time!" Joy adds with a pleasant smile.

Shaking his head vigorously, Ash regards the two women: one with disbelief, one with betrayal.

"If I have any more of that I'll die!" Ash cries, looking between Misty and Joy before landing on the former. "C'mon Mist, you agree with me right?"

The redhead merely tucks a strand of orange hair behind an ear before giving her companion a _chillingly_ pleasant smile.

"Right Misty?" Ash presses uncertainly, giving his best friend a skeptical look.

When she doesn't say anything, her strange smile deepening, Ash lifts a hand to scratch the back of his neck.

"Misty?" Ash says after gulping apprehensively. He gives her a sheepish grin. "You wouldn't want me tasting any more of that medicine," he pauses, a look of horror dawning on his features when Misty turns to the physician. "Would you?"

"Well," Misty begins, sounding innocent and thoughtful. Her pleasant smile transforms into a smirk as she makes eye contact with Ash. "That _was_ a _really_ bad wound Cyrus gave you."

"Misty, no!"

"And I'd hate for you to suddenly become incapacitated during a fight because of an injury.

"Mist, c'mon! I'm _fine_! I really _don't_ need-"

"And it _is_ my number one priority to make sure your injuries are treated and healing."

"Actually," Joy interjects, her eyes focused on crushing down more of the reagent for her medicine. Most likely she started while Ash and Misty were talking. "It's _my_ number one priority to ensure all those who come into my care are properly treated."

Continuing with her task, even humming a little song as she works, Physician Joy is heedless of the looks Ash and Misty give her. Both of them look surprised as if their argument caused them to forget that the older woman was there.

Misty is the first to recover, briefly crossing her arms before speaking. "Anyway, a little more medicine will be good for you."

"Misty, _what_ did I ever _do_ to you?!" Ash whines, reaching to grab hold of one of his companion's hands. Taking her right hand in both of his, he looks up at her with pleading eyes. "How could you betray me like this?!"

"I'm _not betraying_ you Ash." Misty responds, shaking her head as she removes her hand from his. She pokes him on the forehead. "I _care_ about you and that's _exactly_ why I think you should take the medicine." She chuckles. "Don't be so melodramatic."

" _C-care_?!" Ash exclaims, a hint of incredulity to his voice. Shaking his head, he stops to point accusingly at the redhead. "Easy for _you_ to say!"

Shouting, his look of anguish and betrayal turns into one of anger as he glares at Misty. " _You_ don't have to taste any of that awful medicine!"

"It may taste terrible, but that doesn't mean it's not helpful!" Joy singsongs, continuing on with her task.

"More like _harmful_!" Ash deadpans, shifting his glare to the pink-haired woman before turning back to the redhead. "C'mon Misty, _please_!"

His features softening - gaze expectant, smile earnest - Ash continues with his pleading. "Look at me!"

With that exclamation, he spreads his arms out wide. "I'm _fine_! I don't need any of that medicine!" He flexes his arms for good measure, electricity crackling between his fingertips. "There's no need to worry-"

Before he can finish his attempt to reassure his best friend, he lurches forward with a grimace. Tentatively, almost subconsciously, he lifts a hand to graze an edge of his chest wound. "Ouch." He whimpers under his breath, grimace shifting into a scowl.

"No need to worry, huh?" Misty deadpans, crossing her arms with a smug grin.

"R-right!" Ash stammers, looking up from his wound to meet Misty's gaze. "I'm f-fine! My wounds have prac-" he breaks off with a sigh, reaching up with a hand to scratch the back of his neck. "You don't believe me, do you?"

"A convincing liar is one thing you're _definitely_ not." Misty confirms.

With another sigh, he turns to look at Joy. "Guess I might as well accept my fate."

"Accept my fate?" Misty echoes before, with a roll of her eyes, she gives Ash's shoulder a playful, half-hearted shove. "Ash, it's _medicine_ , not some boogeyman here to steal your soul."

" _Awful-tasting_ medicine." Ash states. He seems to ignore the other part of her sentence before, with a short chuckle, he continues with, "I think I'd prefer some sort of soul-sucking monster."

"Not funny Ash." Misty remarks with narrowed eyes. She blows out a puff of air. "Though I'd feel sorry for whoever tried something like that."

Despite Misty's casual tone, both Ash and Joy feel a chill race down their spines. The former gulping anxiously before shaking his head, the latter stills her movement momentarily, her fingers lingering on the mortar and pestle in her hands.

It would seem that Misty's somewhat unnerving comment came in at precisely the right moment as, with a satisfied smile, Joy sets the mortar and pestle down in her lap.

The contents looking to be completely crushed and ready for consumption, Misty regards it with a sense of indifference, Joy with pride, and Ash with a mixture of resignation and terror.

"I can already taste it." Ash mutters, shuddering.

"Well, as much as I'd like to stick around," Misty says, standing up and brushing her clothing. "I think I'm going to get some fresh air."

"Fresh air?" Ash repeats, turning from Joy to Misty to regard her expectantly. He lowers his voice, his words coming out in a fierce hiss. "Mist, take me with you!"

Misty, only somewhat amused by her companion's last-ditch effort to escape his medicine, laughs as she walks backwards toward the door. " _Only_ when you're healed."

Turning around to face the door, she opens the door before glancing over her shoulder at the two, a sort of gleam in her eyes. "Then I'll be _more_ than happy to."

The last thing Misty sees before closing the door behind her, is a beautiful shade of crimson breaking out across her companion's features as Joy hands the medicine over to him.

With the sound of her best friend gagging at her back, once again commenting on the medicine's taste, Misty smirks lightly as she soon finds herself outside the kindly physician's place of occupation.

A light breeze weaving its gentle fingers through her hair, it's with a tender smile that Misty takes a deep breath. Pressing a hand against her chest, the redhead turns her gaze to the sky.

Silence surrounding her save the occasional birdsong, Misty feels her spirits soar at the recent turn of events.

Despite their unfortunate brush with death, Misty finds solace in the fact that their mission was a resounding success all things considered.

What helps her mood tremendously is the reaffirmation of the knowledge that, no matter the trials and tribulations that come their way, Ash and Misty both know that they'll _always_ be there to protect each other.

And not even something that seems as absolute as death or transient as an unfortunate kidnapping will keep the two apart.

 **Author's Notes: For those of whom still following this story after all this time, I apologize for taking so long to update. Doesn't help matters that I said I'd update around last December. At any rate, I hope all of you readers enjoyed this chapter and I'm thinking of writing a short continuation in the same continuity as Rain's prompt. At the very least, it can be expected sometime this year.**

 **Also, I hope you all have a great Valentine's Day!**

 _ **Originally Posted: February 14th, 2017.**_


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